Toyota not planning to replace Gascoyne

Gascoyne and the Cologne-based outfit parted company after disagreement over the future direction of the team, and Toyota's general manager of car design and development Pascal Vasselon had been tipped to replace the Briton.

However, Yoshiaki Kinoshita, the general manager of Toyota's motorsport division, has said they are actually going to restructure the managing of the team rather than simply replace Gascoyne.

"For the time being, the team will not have a technical director," he said. "We would like to change the way we work, so that we do not depend so much on one individual.

"Formula One is not exactly a project that can be executed on an individual basis. Just like it must be for the Space Shuttle programme, it cannot be just one person's work."

Toyota's plans to introduce their B-spec car at the Monaco Grand Prix will not be delayed by Gascoyne's departure, despite his significant role in the development of the revised car.