Formula 1 News

BMW Sauber: Timo Glock exit confirmed 

BMW Sauber boss Mario Theissen has confirmed Timo Glock is no longer a BMW Sauber driver after the Contract Recognition Board ruled the German racer is free to sign for Toyota. “Timo Glock will no longer be driving for the BMW Sauber F1 team next year,” said Theissen. “We have offered him the position of test driver in our team but he has been given the opportunity to race for another team.

“We wish Timo every success in his future F1 career.” Toyota, who parted company with Michael Schumacher’s younger brother Ralf at the end of the season in Brazil last month, had no immediate comment. The Cologne-based team have Italian Jarno Trulli under contract as their other race driver and have made clear their interest in Glock.

BMW had lined up the GP2 champion as their 2008 test and reserve driver after using him in that role this year but were awaiting a ruling from Formula One’s contract recognition board after being notified of a conflicting document. If Glock is confirmed, with an announcement by Toyota expected next week, the deal will close another door to Spain’s double world champion Fernando Alonso. Alonso has parted with McLaren after just one season with the Mercedes-powered team and has yet to say where he will be racing next year, although former employers Renault are looking his best bet.

With the exception of McLaren, Renault and Toyota, the leading teams have all announced their line-ups. Glock, 25, competed in four Grands Prix for the now-defunct Jordan Formula One team as a stand-in for Italian Giorgio Pantano in 2004 and scored two points with seventh place on his debut in Canada.