German racing driver Timo Glock has made a surprise move, announcing his resignation, by mutual consent, from the Marussia F1 Team.
Glock didn’t give a reason for his departure but said he has an exciting announcement to make very soon.
It’s possible Glock has a seat at another team, though the only two without a confirmed driver lineup are Caterham and Force India.
There are rumors that the decision was also based on Marussia's need for a driver backed by sponsorship (Glock was earning a salary).
“The ongoing challenges facing the industry mean that we have had to take steps to secure our long-term future,” Marussia team principal John Booth said in a statement. “Tough economic conditions prevail and the commercial landscape is difficult for everyone, Formula One teams included.”
Glock, now 30, has been with Marussia since the team's inception in 2009 (previously Virgin), coming from Toyota, which pulled out from F1 that same year.
The team, which only recently announced it had recruited 21-year-old Briton Max Chilton as Glock’s partner in 2013, plans to provide details on its revised driver lineup in the near future. The team doesn’t have all that long, however, as testing for the 2013 season gets underway in Jerez, Spain, in just a couple of weeks.
Possibilities for his replacement include Brazilian Bruno Senna, who was dropped from Williams late last year, as well as fellow Brazilian Luis Razia. Both drivers have been linked with Marussia recently.
Below is a list of the 2013 Formula One team lineups:
Red Bull: Sebastian Vettel; Mark Webber
Ferrari: Fernando Alonso; Felipe Massa
McLaren: Jenson Button; Sergio Perez
Lotus: Kimi Raikkonen; Romain Grosjean
Mercedes-AMG: Lewis Hamilton; Nico Rosberg
Sauber: Nico Hulkenberg; Esteban Gutierrez
Force India: Paul di Resta; TBA
Williams: Pastor Maldonado; Valtteri Bottas
Toro Rosso: Daniel Ricciardo; Jean-Eric Vergne
Caterham: Charles Pic; TBA
Marussia: Max Chilton; TBA
