Sunday June 20th, 2004

Microsoft Corp chairman Bill Gates wants to become Toyota's chief Formula One sponsor with an investment of $40 million a year in the Cologne-based team, Bild am Sonntag reports today.

The newspaper claims Toyota is also trying to land Sony as a major sponsor for the team that has an annual budget of $400 million. Both Sony and Microsoft are not sponsoring currently any motor racing team.

The German weekly also said Toyota would announce at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone next month that Williams driver Ralf Schumacher will switch to Toyota next season with a five-year $100 million deal.

Published at 12:02:06 GMT

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