Toyota loses Indian sponsor belonging to Mallya

Toyota F1 announced today that Indian airline Kingfisher will no longer support the team as a sponsor in the 2008 season, despite a two-year agreement signed last year. The parties have in fact reached a compromise to conclude the relationship early, in light of the purchase by the owner of Kingfisher of the Spyker team, renamed Force India.

“Dr. Vijay Mallya is now focusing his energies on his new Formula 1 project and Kingfisher Airlines' request to terminate the contract early has been accepted in the interests of both parties,” reads a statement from the company. Toyota. In testing following the conclusion of the 2007 season, Force India's new provisional livery has already featured the Kingfisher branding.

(d.07)