'Bottom four cars will be eliminated in Q1 and Q2 in Austin'

  • Published on 30 Oct 2014 14:45
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
F1 is heading awkwardly into the US grand prix weekend, following the collapse of the two backmarkers Caterham and Marussia. The sport has always had a dubious relationship with America, although Austin's inaugural races in 2012 and last year were proclaimed definite successes, featuring big crowds and the exciting Circuit of the Americas layout.

But in 2005, F1 famously failed the US with the six-grid grid at Indianapolis, and now another notably low count will line up for Sunday's Austin race. Not only Caterham and Marussia will be missing on the grid, but also the reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel. The Red Bull driver is facing a start from the pitlane, as he has run through his maximum allocation of five turbo V6 engines for the 2014 season.

Vettel has already been scathing of the rule, and in Austin on Wednesday he turned to sarcasm. "Obviously it was our fault to be very greedy at the beginning of the season in terms of having reliability issues," said the German. "It is the regulations," Vettel explained. "I didn't make them but everyone has to respect them."

The 17 car grid also puts F1 in uncharted territory with regards to the written regulations for Saturday's qualifying session. In the FIA rules, procedures for grids featuring 26, 24, 22 and 20-car grids are laid out, but the eventuality of having just 9 teams in the garages is notably missing, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

If the rules are left as they are for Saturday, the 'Q1' session will set the grid for positions 17 through 22 -- even though Sunday's grid will in fact feature only 17 cars. F1 race director Charlie Whiting is therefore tipped to make an "appropriate amendment" to the qualifying procedure for Austin, as allowed by the regulations.

But this decision can only be ratified by the stewards, meaning that the actual procedure for the race weekend - likely to see the bottom 4 cars eliminated in Q1 and Q2 respectively - will probably not be known officially until Thursday at the earliest. (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 1,480
  • Podiums 56
  • Grand Prix 161
  • Country DE
  • Date of b. Jul 3 1987 (37)
  • Place of b. Heppenheim, DE
  • Weight 62 kg
  • Length 1.75 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar