Mike Gascoyne in shock Toyota exit

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In a shock piece of news from Europe, Mike Gascoyne appears to have left the Toyota team.

The Cologne based squad's widely rated Technical Director, who switched from Renault in 2003, could be the first high-profile casualty of the Japan-owned carmaker's poor start to the 2006 F1 season.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the 43-year-old Brit is part of a bigger reshuffle within the five-year-old team, which has arguably the sport's biggest budget, with Pascal Vasselon tipped to take over Gascoyne's job.


It was also reported that Gascoyne - whose contract expires at the end of this year - was not happy at Toyota, after clashes with senior management and extreme pressure to put a red and white car on the top step of the podium.

Source GMM
CAPSIS International

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Mike has a history like this before, not just with Renault but with Jordan. Mike was placed on "gardening leave" at Jordan before he moved to Renault. He was eventually dropped off at Renault before jumping ship to Toyota.