Caterham F1 Team on Thursday confirmed a "number of new appointments," according to MOTORSPORT. Christijan Albers is now team principal, supported by GM & Team Principal Manfredi Ravetto. Simon Shinkins has also joined the team as COO. Miodrag Kotur was named team manager. Michael Willmer is the new director of legal affairs and Gianluca Pisanello has been promoted to head of trackside engineering. John Iley is now technical director, leading the work being done to improve the '14 car and the '15 "new car project" (MOTORSPORT, 7/17). In London, Kevin Eason reported a "despondent" Caterham team is preparing for the German Grand Prix despite "new owners" laying off 40 people. A statement from the "mysterious owners, whose identity has still not been revealed," said that the job cuts were "a necessary step." Driver Alexander Rossi "was given his marching orders earlier in the week as Colin Kolles, said to be a consultant to the consortium of Swiss and Arab investors, wielded the axe." The "redundancies were no surprise, particularly as Kolles has a reputation as a man who runs a lean ship." However, speculation "runs high that this is the first stage to packaging up the team for transport to Germany, where Kolles is established." He is known to have "potential backers in Romania and F1 wonders whether the dark green of Caterham could be replaced next season by a new Romanian badge" (LONDON TIMES, 7/17).
