LONDON // The struggling Caterham and Marussia Formula One teams will both miss next week’s United States Grand Prix at Austin, Texas, the sport’s commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, said Saturday.
“Neither of those two teams are going to go to America,” said Ecclestone, 83.
Caterham went into administration on Friday.
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 to be flown out Saturday.
By missing the race at 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.
The final race of the season, the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, is at Yas Marina Circuit on November 23, when double points are to be awarded for the first time.
Neither the administrator of Caterham nor representatives of Marussia, who are ninth in the championship thanks to Bianchi’s ninth place at Monaco in May, were contactable.
Ecclestone said Friday that Caterham had been given a dispensation to miss the next two races as they sought a buyer. Marussia’s absence, apart from giving 10th placed Sauber more of a chance to overtake them in the championship, will leave the grid at Austin with only nine teams and 18 cars.
It also wrecks the hopes of American Alexander Rossi, the Marussia reserve, of making a home appearance at Austin.
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