Organisers of the US grand prix say world champion Sebastian Vettel's absence from qualifying this weekend is "unfortunate". The Red Bull driver will sit out Saturday's decisive session and start the Austin race from the pitlane, as he takes a penalty for using an unscheduled sixth engine of the 2014 season.
German Vettel has slammed the long-life engine rule in F1, resulting in his situation, as "completely stupid". "The people turn on the television and see a driver who just stands around and has nothing to do," he said.
Already reeling from the sudden loss of F1's two backmarker teams just ahead of the race weekend, the Austin circuit's co-founder Bobby Epstein is also upset that one of F1's biggest names will not be qualifying on Saturday. "It's just too bad," he is quoted by the Guardian. "I would like to see him (Vettel) start on the grid on Sunday. "It won't affect our ticket sales because most of the people come here for the overall experience but it's nevertheless unfortunate," Epstein added.
F1's loss of Marussia and Caterham, amid the risk other struggling teams could also collapse, has triggered the next round of soul-searching for the sport. Epstein thinks formula one could learn from America's top motor racing category, Nascar. "F1 has got to make the sport about personalities. That's what NASCAR does very well," he said. "People connect with people. They don't connect with metal." (GMM)
'F1 should look at NASCAR and make it about personalities'
- Published on 29 Oct 2014 08:41
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
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Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
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Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
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Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
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Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
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Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
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World Championship standings 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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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
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 1,480
- Podiums 56
- Grand Prix 161
- Country DE
- Date of b. Jul 3 1987 (39)
- Place of b. Heppenheim, DE
- Weight 62 kg
- Length 1.75 m
- 281,401 comments on Aston Martin
57 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Sebastian Vettel
Team profile
- Team name Marussia
- Base Banbury, Russian
- Max Chilton 4
- Jules Bianchi 17
- Jules Bianchi 22
- Max Chilton 23
- Will Stevens 28
- Alexander Rossi 53
- Roberto Merhi 98
- 19,771 comments on Marussia
- 0 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Marussia
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