November 07, 2004
What is really happening at JTM? Nobody really knows. Toby Lock has been kept in the dark as to his ownership of the company, his crew of mechanics are awaiting some sort of job security, and sponsors are waiting with law-suits should the operation fold. No high-budgeted energy drinks company looks likely to rescue this outfit, so what does the future hold?

"Who bloody knows eh? Juan has gone AWOL, sponsors keep calling me for updates, but there is only so much I can tell them with no knowledge behind me. If Juan were to call and say it's all mine, then I could do something. I could tell them the plan, I could try and make some inroads into 2005, but I haven't, so it's up to him" said Lock outside the JTM factory in Buenos Aires.

He was there congratulating the team mechanics and engineers for their hard work in their first (and maybe last) full season in the series. "The guys and girls here have, despite results, worked effortlessly in producing a car well worthy of great things in the right hands. I don't want them to be out of a job. I don't want the guys in the pitlane to be out of a job. I don't want the catering staff, PR guys, JTM grid girls, JTM truckers to be out of a job. It's not their fault. They don't deserve this shit." Emotions were high amongst workers too.

"If we don't have a future, I'd rather know sooner than later, so I can find another job soon" said one aerodynamicist from the factory.

After massively underachieving this year, the JTM sponsors are also prepared for the potential loss of the team. Title sponsors West cigarettes are reportedly prepared to file for loss of revenue should the team fall out of the series.

"Let them" shrugged Lock. "From what I can tell, because I haven't been told, we are solid financially. We got money from loaning out Matt and Naz during the season. Out budget was pretty sound at the beginning of the year, and with relatively few mechanical failures, we really had only materialistic damage to repair. If money is what they are after, just get in contact with Juan, we'd all like to know!"

The final race of the season saw JTM drop to a dismal 9th place in the Constructors Championship, leapfrogged by Simsoa.

"I thought I was going to be a lot lower than 10th for sure. I had a couple of off track excursions, and one really odd moment when the car was thrown into the air on the pit straight. I was shit to be perfectly honest. That's echoed throughout the season. Three flash in the pan-races, really. I spoke back at Barcelona earlier, and I feel pretty much the same now, demoralised" sighed Lock.

With many teams on the waiting list for the season next year, the JTM team is not expected to be on the grid, unless manager Juan Tortella gets in contact soon -

"Just let the guys who work for you know" said Lock as his final message.