Panther in trouble?

The future of one of the IRL's longest serving teams could be in doubt according to a report on the website of U.S. based cable channel Speed TV.

Double championship winning outfit Panther Racing have been forced to temporarily lay off up to half of its existing staff according to a column by veteran U.S. racing journalist Robin Miller.

Miller cites the loss of former primary sponsor Pennzoil coupled with the finances required to secure a Honda engine deal in 2006 as main reasons for the lay-offs, although one of the team co-owners, Mike Griffin, is quoted by Miller as saying that the team hoped to be re-hiring those who have been laid-off, should one of several potential sponsor deals come to fruition.

The news that one of the IRL's front-running teams appears to be in trouble does not bode well for a prosperous winter for the series, which will struggle to equal the number of entries it sustained in 2005.

Both the team's 2005 drivers, Tomas Scheckter and Tomas Enge, have been racing elsewhere since the end of the IRL season, namely in the fledgling A1 Grand Prix Championship.