THE West Oxfordshire-based maker of Caterham Formula 1 racing cars has gone into administration.

Caterham Sports, which has its factory at Leafield Technical Centre, near Witney, designs and builds cars for the Caterham F1 team, which operates under a licence from the 1 Malaysia Racing Team (1MRT).

The F1 team was bought in the summer by a group of Swiss and Middle Eastern investors from entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, who owns Premier League football team Queen's Park Rangers.

The administrator, London-based Smith Williamson, said that it was speaking to 1MRT about continuing the relationship betwen Caterham Sports and the F1 team.

Bailiffs from the Sheriff’s Office, which enforces High Court decisions, raided Leafield Technical Centre at the end of last month, seizing an F1 test car, parts for F1 cars and other items.

About 200 people work at the factory, after 40 people were made redundant in July following the sale of the F1 team.