Force India has avoided becoming the next formula one team to drop out of this weekend's US grand prix. Now in administration, backmarkers Caterham and Marussia will miss not only Austin but also the penultimate round of the 2014 world championship a week later in Brazil.
Former FIA president Max Mosley, who for years has warned that smaller teams were in danger of collapse, predicted on Monday that Caterham and Marussia "may not be the last" struggling privateers to go out of business. Force India deputy boss Bob Fernley has also declared this week that he is worried, as only the biggest five teams are in the decision-making Strategy Group. "We'll lose more teams if we carry on like this," he warned.
Fernley's warning came amid reports the Silverstone based team needed to make an urgent engine payment to supplier Mercedes on Monday or risk joining Caterham and Marussia on the sidelines in Austin. But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport now reports that Force India has "removed its neck from the noose" by paying the final engine instalment to the German marque.
It means the team remains in the battle to catch McLaren for fifth in the constructors' world championship. According to Auto Motor und Sport, the fifth-placed team will receive $62 million in official prize money from Bernie Ecclestone, rather than $59m for sixth.
Meanwhile, because F1 has shed almost 20 per cent of its grid in the space of mere weeks, the FIA looks set to tweak the knockout qualifying format for Austin and Brazil. "It is thought that the FIA ... will have to reorder the three-session qualifying because of there not being enough cars - just 17 with (Sebastian) Vettel missing - to go through the usual knockout sequence," said Kevin Eason, the correspondent for the Times newspaper.
Red Bull's Vettel is expected to sit out qualifying as he takes a penalty for using his unscheduled sixth Renault engine of the 2014 season. (GMM)
Force India 'removed neck from the noose' by paying Mercedes
- Published on 28 Oct 2014 10:33
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Why Cadillac is standing firmly behind Sergio PérezSergio Pérez is receiving strong backing from Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon, who has praised the Mexic...
23 Jun 2026 14:19 -
Bortoleto says Audi chassis strong but engine costs over a second per lapGabriel Bortoleto has delivered a candid assessment of Audi's first season as a Formula 1 factory team, revealing...
23 Jun 2026 16:22 -
Why Vowles believes both drivers will commit to struggling WilliamsJames Vowles has declared his confidence that Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon will remain with Williams through 2027, eve...
23 Jun 2026 15:20 -
Why Antonelli refuses to be called 'the new Senna'Andrea Kimi Antonelli has pushed back against early comparisons to Ayrton Senna, despite a strong rookie campaign wit...
23 Jun 2026 13:17 -
Former Ferrari driver fears Hamilton has broken Leclerc's confidenceCharles Leclerc is facing a crisis of confidence at Ferrari, according to former Scuderia driver René Arnoux, ...
23 Jun 2026 12:15
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
Team profile
- Team name Force India
- Base Silverstone, India
- Sergio Perez 11
- Sergio Perez 11
- Nico Hülkenberg 12
- Adrian Sutil 14
- Adrian Sutil 15
- Lance Stroll 18
- Adrian Sutil 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Esteban Ocon 31
- 96,021 comments on Force India
8 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Force India
Replies (0)
Login to reply