12/11/2014
NEWS STORY
As Caterham's crowd funding efforts continue, Marcus Ericsson has revealed that he has terminated his contract with the team.
In a brief statement issued this afternoon, Ericsson, who will line up for Sauber next season, said:
"Following recent events re Caterham Sports Limited and 1 MRT Sdn Bhd, my adviser Eje Elgh and I have decided to terminate, with immediate effect, all agreements connecting me to the Caterham F1 team. This is a sad day as we have greatly enjoyed working with the team through a difficult and tough season.
I wish to thank Colin Kolles, Manfredi Ravetto, Cyril Abiteboul and every other member of the Caterham F1 team for your trust and confidence in me, and for making my first Formula 1 season an educational and unforgettable experience. In addition, I thank my good friend and teammate Kamui Kobayashi for being an inspiring benchmark throughout the year, and hope to see him back on the track soon."
Ericsson's announcement comes as Caterham's money raising scheme hits £1.2m, 52% of the £2.35m target, with just over two days before the deadline.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail (groan) reports that 21-year-old Alice Powell, from Oxford, a "former GP3 driver and Formula Renault BARC Champion" could drive for the Leafield outfit in Abu Dhabi should it raise the required funding.
"It is all news to me," she subsequently told Sky Sports, "I only found out this morning when I saw it in the Daily Mail."
Quite Alice, quite.