F1’s Bernie Ecclestone: Caterham and Marussia ‘should never have been here’

Speaking to Gary Meenaghan on Friday, F1 supremo Ecclestone says of the two embattled teams: 'These guys have got involved in the sport for all the wrong reasons. It’s nonsense really. They shouldn’t be here.'

A general view of the Caterham garage ahead of Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Dan Istitene / Getty Images / November 19, 2014

ABU DHABI // The problems experienced by the financially troubled Caterham and Marussia marques have proved such race teams should never have been involved in the sport in the first place. That is the opinion of Bernie Ecclestone, the chief executive of F1, who said he hopes neither of the two will be in the sport next season.

Both Marussia and Caterham have entered administration within the past month, yet while Marussia have been forced to miss this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Caterham were able to put together a skeleton staff for the race at Yas Marina Circuit. Ecclestone said earlier this week he helped the team appear in the UAE capital by waiving certain fees.

However, speaking to The National on Saturday, the sport’s supremo was scathing of the two teams, both of which joined in the sport in 2010.

“They should never have been here in the first place,” Ecclestone said. “These are people who are sitting in a poker game, who don’t have the money to play and hoping to get some good cards. These guys have got involved in the sport for all the wrong reasons. It’s nonsense really. They shouldn’t be here.”

Both teams are included on F1’s provisional entry list for next year, despite Caterham resorting to crowd-funding in a bid to raise the money required to compete in this weekend’s race. Ecclestone, when asked whether either team would be on the grid when the sport starts again next March, was unequivocal.

“I hope not,” he said. “We don’t want people walking around with begging bowls.”

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