The struggling Caterham and Marussia Formula One teams will both miss next weekend’s US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, the sport’s commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone told Reuters yesterday.
“Neither of those two teams are going to go to America,” said the 83-year-old.
Caterham went into administration on Friday while Russian-registered Marussia are also struggling financially and are still reeling from French driver Jules Bianchi’s serious accident in Japan three weeks ago.
The air transport for all the teams’ cars and freight is organised by Ecclestone’s Formula One Management and they were due to be flown out yesterday.
By missing the race in Austin, the two teams will also be absent from Brazil since the races are back to back with the cars going direct from the US to Brazil before returning to Europe.
Marussia’s absence wrecks the hopes of American Alexander Rossi making a home appearance at Austin, Texas
The final race of the season is in Abu Dhabi on November 23, when double points are to be awarded for the first time.
Representatives of Marussia, who are currently ninth in the championship standings thanks to Bianchi’s ninth place in Monaco in May, were not immediately contactable.
However, Caterham’s administrator Finbarr O’Connell said the cars remained in the factory at Leafield.
“The racing kit was heading towards Austin but it’s still in the UK. It will stay in the UK and hopefully if Caterham races in one of the last races we will ship the racing kit from here,” he said.
Marussia’s absence, apart from giving 10th placed Sauber more of chance to overtake them in the table, will leave the grid in Austin with only 18 cars.
It also wrecks the hopes of American Alexander Rossi, the Marussia reserve, making a home appearance at Austin.
Ferrari-powered Marussia ran only one car in Sochi, Russia, two weeks ago, as a mark of respect for Bianchi who remains in a critical condition in hospital in Japan after his horrific crash in Suzuka.
There has been no medical update on Bianchi’s condition since Sochi.