FEARS are growing over the future of the 450-strong workforce at Renault's Formula One headquarters at Enstone.

Renault has yet to confirm that it will race next year, after BMW announced that it was pulling out at the end of the season.

BMW this week became the second manufacturer in less than eight months to quit the sport.

Its chairman, Dr Norbert Reithofer, said the group was concentrating its efforts on developing greener cars, which include an electric version of the Cowley-built Mini, being tested at Oxford Brookes University.

He said: "Of course, this was a difficult decision for us. But it's a resolute step in view of our company’s strategic realignment."

Honda, based in Brackley, withdrew from F1 in December, selling its team to former team boss Ross Brawn. Earlier this year he axed 230 workers out of 700.

BMW's decision has raised concerns that other manufacturers could follow suit and the Enstone team faces a major shortfall in its budget because its main sponsor, Dutch bank ING, is pulling out after this season.

Renault, which employs more than 450 staff at Enstone, declared 60 redundancies in February. The team's after-tax losses more than doubled last year to £10.3m as its costs increased 38 per cent to £158m — the highest ever on record in the sport.

The Renault team declined to comment to the Oxford Mail about its future.

However, Oxfordshire's other Formula One Team, Williams — based at Grove, near Wantage — is safe next season as its sponsorship deal with RBS ends in 2010.

Although the bank announced earlier this year that it will end its sponsorship at the end of the current contract, spokesman Liam Clogger said they had already signed three or four smaller sponsorship deals.

"We have two years to replace RBS. The lag in income has not been completely accounted for, but hopefully it will be by the time RBS withdraw."

Last year, all 250 employees at Super Aguri in Leafield lost their jobs when the team quit Formula One.

Despite the uncertainty, the Renault team is allowing the public into its normally secret Enstone facility on August 12 as part of National Motorsport Week.

Tickets have sold out and Charlotte Austin, of the Motorsport Industry Association, said they had been "overwhelmed" by applications. To join a reserve list, see www.the-mia.com/Events-Diary.