Caterham F1 team confirms proposed move to Leafield

Caterham aims to relocate to the Leafield Technical Centre, which has been associated with motorsport for several years after it was sold to Tom Walkinshaw Racing in 1993 to become the Arrows's team base.

The facility would later become the Super Aguri team's headquarters when the Japanese squad made its Formula 1 debut back in 2006.

The proposed move would take place in August and the team believes it will help the squad become stronger.

"The factory in Hingham has been our home since we were first granted our entry into the F1 World Championship in September 2009 and it has served us extremely well, giving us the perfect platform to establish both the F1 team and our GP2 team in the first stages of our development," said team boss Tony Fernandes.

"However, as both teams grew, and in the planning process we went through when acquiring Caterham Cars and establishing the wider Caterham Group, it became clear that we needed to house the car company in the same facility as our racing operations, to give us the best chance to meet our future goals on and off track.

"We began looking for a site that could be adapted to suit the future needs of our racing and road car operations and Leafield quickly became the obvious choice."

Caterham said it would also relocate its GP2 team.

Fernandes added: "The factory in Hingham is where the dream began, and we will continue to develop that site into the new permanent home for Caterham Composites.

"We have cutting edge technical and production facilities already in operation in the factory, now focused on the F1 and GP2 teams, and we will be expanding those facilities to help meet the future demands of Caterham Composites' clients in all the markets that company will operate in, continuing to provide jobs and investment in Norfolk in world class, cutting edge technology. Caterham Technology and Innovation will also remain in Norfolk, demonstrating our long-term commitment to our first home.

"While it will obviously be sad if the F1 and GP2 teams move on from Hingham we are not saying goodbye to Norfolk. This will be the next chapter in the development of both our motor racing teams and our road car company and gives us the best chance to keep progressing on track and, in future, on the road with Caterham Cars."