Autosport – 25 July 2019

MO

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PIT + PADDOCK

6 AUTOSPORT.COM 25 JULY 2019

Toyota agrees to faster LMP1 rivals for 2019-

WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Toyota has agreed to a series of rule

changes designed to finally get the

privateer LMP1 cars on terms with its

TS050 HYBRIDs in the 2019-20 World

Endurance Championship. At the same

time it has introduced a revised version

of its P1 contender for its fourth and

final WEC campaign.

That isn’t the contradiction

that it might at first appear. Toyota

Motorsport GmbH technical director

Pascal Vasselon insists that the

manufacturer can’t afford to rest on

its laurels as the independents continue

to move forward with the help of the

rulebook and through development.

“It was not an option for us to

stand still and count on the others

not developing,” he said. “We have

already seen some progress from

Le Mans last year and Le Mans

this year, so we had to go on.”

The latest iteration of the TS050 (above)

incorporates a more raised nose that now

looks distinct because the bodywork

shrouds around the suspension have been

moved backwards. This, said Vasselon,

is designed to increase airflow through

the car and continue a development trend

that began with the introduction of the

TS050 for the 2016 season.

The latest TS050 will run at a minimum

weight 14kg higher than the 904kg at which

the cars raced from Fuji last October until

Spa in May, which in turn was 26kg up

on the 878kg at which they started the

superseason. Vasselon described this

as an acceptable increase as part of the

efforts of WEC promoter the Automobile

Club de l’Ouest and the FIA to bring the

privateers ever closer to the Toyotas.

The rules package also includes

giving the privateers a one-second

advantage in refuelling time, which

is designed to negate the edge the

TS050s have on getaway because

they can restart in electric mode.

The length of stints between fuel

stops for hybrid and non-hybrid

machinery will be equated, as it was

for the six-hour races from Fuji

onwards last year. The difference now

is the rule will stand for Le Mans.

The plan to introduce a points-based

system of success handicaps has been

voted through. Details have yet to

be announced.

GARY WATKINS

FORMULA 1

Daniel Ricciardo’s former

advisor is claiming more than

£10million over alleged unpaid

commissions relating to the

Renault driver’s contract.

Ricciardo left his long-term

backer Red Bull at the end of

last season after striking an

unexpected two-year deal

to join the works Renault

Formula 1 team from 2019.

According to United Kingdom

High Court of Justice

documents, Ricciardo’s former

advisor Glenn Beavis claims

he is owed “various sums” for

Ricciardo’s Renault contract.

Beavis’s claim, served earlier

this month, alleges a debt of

20% commission on Ricciardo’s

base Renault salary, various

contractual elements –

including the cost of Ricciardo’s

superlicence, use of a Renault

road car and cost of a

physiotherapist – and more.

In a statement given to

Autosport, Ricciardo responded:

“There is no substance to Glenn

Beavis’s claim.

“It is unfortunate that he has

decided to bring this wholly

unmeritorious claim, which

I intend to fully defend in

the court process.”

Beavis provided management

and consultancy services to

Ricciardo from 2012 until March

2019. The agreement between
      Ricciardo and Beavis was
      reviewed and reinforced after
      Ricciardo’s successful first
      season with Red Bull in 2014,
      when he won three grands prix.
      Beavis was paid a retainer,
      plus 20% commission on
      the value of all new deals
      he introduced that were
      subsequently concluded.
      According to the document,
      Beavis began discussions with
      Renault and its F1 boss Cyril
      Abiteboul about a possible move
      for Ricciardo in mid-2017, one
      year before Ricciardo’s deal –
      worth more than £20m a year

- was announced.

   It is claimed that Ricciardo’s

Renault contract was a new

deal introduced by Beavis and

subsequently concluded by

Ricciardo. Beavis submitted an

invoice for 20% of Ricciardo’s

fixed Renault fee, but says he

was told he has no entitlement

to the commission in relation to

the Renault contract, payments

from performance clauses, or

any other deal he introduced.

   That has led Beavis to claim

for an amount in excess of

£10million, which includes –

but is not limited to – the

payment of debts from the

unpaid commission, interest on

these debts and a declaration of

entitlement to future payments.

He also believes he has

a claim to commission on

other aspects of the value of

Ricciardo’s Renault contract –

including medical expenses and

season-end and win bonuses.

SCOTT MITCHELL

Ricciardo hit with

£10m legal claim

from ex-advisor

ROMNEY