German Police Raid Offices Of Toyota Formula One Team
11-02-2003, 09:41 AM
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German Police Raid Offices Of Toyota Formula One Team
BERLIN -- German police raided the factory of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Formula One racing team in the city of Cologne on Saturday, amid suspicions of industrial espionage involving Ferrari. One Toyota engineer was reportedly arrested.
Police searched the aerodynamic division in Toyota Motorsport's factory in the western city on Friday morning, sealing the area, said Reinhardt Schuettler of the Cologne police. "It's correct that Toyota was searched and one person was taken into custody," Officer Schuettler said.
According to the local newspaper Koelner Express, the district attorney's office in Modena, Italy, has been investigating the case at Ferrari's request. Officer Schuettler said Friday's raid was carried out on behalf of the Federal Criminal Office, the German equivalent of the FBI.
Rumors of industrial espionage surfaced in media reports in May because of the apparent similarity of Toyota's TF103 car to the F2002 driven by Ferrari world champion Michael Schumacher.
The Koelner Express reported that Toyota is suspected of obtaining technical data from Ferrari through an engineer who left the Italian team two years ago.
"Toyota Motorsport is not the target of the investigation. It involves an employee of the aerodynamic division," Toyota racing team boss Ove Andersson told the newspaper.
Officer Schuettler couldn't confirm if the arrested man was still in custody or if any charges had been brought in the case. The newspaper said Toyota could face damage claims of millions of euros if any espionage charges are proven.
Police secured computers, technical plans and CDs and diskettes at the Toyota factory for evidence.
Toyota has poured huge sums into its Formula One team, and hired some top talent, including Ferrari employees, but the results on the racing circuit have been disappointing so far.
Copyright © 2003 Associated Press
Police searched the aerodynamic division in Toyota Motorsport's factory in the western city on Friday morning, sealing the area, said Reinhardt Schuettler of the Cologne police. "It's correct that Toyota was searched and one person was taken into custody," Officer Schuettler said.
According to the local newspaper Koelner Express, the district attorney's office in Modena, Italy, has been investigating the case at Ferrari's request. Officer Schuettler said Friday's raid was carried out on behalf of the Federal Criminal Office, the German equivalent of the FBI.
Rumors of industrial espionage surfaced in media reports in May because of the apparent similarity of Toyota's TF103 car to the F2002 driven by Ferrari world champion Michael Schumacher.
The Koelner Express reported that Toyota is suspected of obtaining technical data from Ferrari through an engineer who left the Italian team two years ago.
"Toyota Motorsport is not the target of the investigation. It involves an employee of the aerodynamic division," Toyota racing team boss Ove Andersson told the newspaper.
Officer Schuettler couldn't confirm if the arrested man was still in custody or if any charges had been brought in the case. The newspaper said Toyota could face damage claims of millions of euros if any espionage charges are proven.
Police secured computers, technical plans and CDs and diskettes at the Toyota factory for evidence.
Toyota has poured huge sums into its Formula One team, and hired some top talent, including Ferrari employees, but the results on the racing circuit have been disappointing so far.
Copyright © 2003 Associated Press
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