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FIA: 'Marussia & Caterham news raises the question of the economic balance of F1'

Demise of backmarker teams leaves just eighteen cars on the grid in Austin this weekend

The FIA, F1's governing body, has admitted that the demise of Caterham and Marussia 'acutely raises the question of the economic balance' in F1.

In a statement released ahead of this weekend's United States GP, the FIA said that the financial struggles of the two teams justified 'any initiative that will help reduce costs in order to ensure the survival of the existing grid or attract potential new entrants.'

Marussia and Caterham went into administration last week, leaving just eighteen cars on the grid for this weekend's United States GP and raising the prospect of eight teams running three cars each in 2015.

FIA statement in full:

'Notification regarding Caterham F1 and Marussia F1 Teams
'The FIA has been informed of the financial difficulties of the CATERHAM F1 and MARUSSIA F1 Teams and of the considerable uncertainty surrounding their participation in the final races of the 2014 championship.

'It is the responsibility of the FIA Stewards to determine whether or not a team has failed to fulfil its regulatory obligation to take part in all events on the calendar and to take whatever action they deem appropriate. However, we have every confidence that the Stewards are fully aware of the financial situation of the teams concerned and these matters are always assessed with extreme care and due regard for the circumstances involved.

'Looking beyond the end of the 2014 season, these failings once again acutely raise the question of the economic balance of the FIA Formula One Championship and justify the position, expressed many times by the FIA, in favour of any initiative that will help reduce costs in order to ensure the survival of the existing grid or attract potential new entrants.

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'As such, the FIA, in close cooperation with FOM and the different stakeholders in F1, will continue to work towards maintaining the attraction of the championship and the equitable participation of the teams in it in the years to come.'

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