Caterham has tonight issued a statement denying that the company is the subject of legal action.

The brief statement follows reports in some sections of the media that suppliers are not providing much needed supplies and services due to unpaid bills and fears over the future of the company and that even its Leafield HQ had been visited by bailiffs with a view to impounding vital equipment in resepct of monies owed.

The statement reads:

"There have been unfounded and unsubstantiated rumours concerning actions against 1MRT, the entrant and owner of CaterhamF1.

An action was threatened yesterday against a supplier company to 1MRT. This company is not owned by 1MRT and it has no influence over the entry of CaterhamF1 or the entrant.

Also contrary to uncontrolled rumours, all operations are currently in place at Leafield and the race team is doing its preparation in Japan."

The team was bought from Tony Fernandes in July and almost immediately there were claims that new boss Colin Kolles had been brought in to keep the Leafield outfit going for the remainder of the year in order that it could be quietly put out of its misery during the off-season. Indeed, there have been claims that the person currently funding the team is Bernie Ecclestone.

Other than a total refusal to shed any light on the make-up of the Middle East/Swiss consortium behind the buy-out of the team, the situation has not been helped by a group of former employees taking legal action against it.

Whilst some claim that Mercedes HQ in Brackley is cursed, it's worth noting that Leafield was previously home to Arrows and then Super Aguri, both of which went out of business during the season, the former in 2002 and the latter in 2008.

Chris Balfe

Update: A subsequent post on The Sherriff's Office website revealed a list of items "removed from the Leafield enforcement address" and which are to "sold by public auction to the highest bidder".

These include: A Caterham F1 test car (2013), Caterham F1 car parts (due for Japan 2014), Full size 6 DOF motion platform F1 simulator, Caterham F1 steering wheels, F1 wheels with tyres, High quality drilling & machining equipment, Caterham & Lotus F1 memorabilia, Various pit lane equipment including jacks, pumps and starters, TVs, monitors and other goods and equipment.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by DoctosDad, 02/10/2014 9:04

""Mercedes HQ in Brackley is cursed,"

There's a good few teams up and down the pit-lane trying to work out the right spell!"

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2. Posted by f1khun, 02/10/2014 1:30

"@ petes - Haas will go for quality for sure. Not sure if Haas already has their UK Base in place, otherwise, Leafield seems to be a likely place with facilities, up for rent any time soon....

@ chrisbalfe - "Arrows and then Super Aguri, both of which went out of business during the season, the former in 2002 and the latter in 2008". That is a six-year interval. Add another 6 years and it's.... ah yes: 2014 :-) It's somehow written in the stars....."

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3. Posted by f1khun, 02/10/2014 1:28

"Too bad. Both that CaterhamF1 is issuing a false press release, apparently, and moreover, that there either should be a Billionaire who wants to become a millionaire, ready to buy CaterhamF1 ASAP, or that they simply will vanish into nothingness very soon...."

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4. Posted by petes, 02/10/2014 0:31

"Wonder if Haas is shopping presently?"

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A statement from Caterham (Updated)

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