This was bound to happen to F1.

[Workingman]

Caterham are in administration and Marussia are strapped for cash so neither of them will be in the USA or Brazil and probably not in Abu Dhabi.

There is too much of a gap between what the rich teams get paid in prize and attendance money and what the tail-enders pick up. This funding makes it near on impossible for a new team to break through unless they come with huge backing from, probably, a main motor manufacturer, and even then nothing is sure..... look at Toyota, Honda and BMW.

If F1 is not careful it will go the way of MOTO GP with a few "works" teams in with a chance of winning and dedicated privateers, who do it for the love of racing, making up the rest of the field. I wonder if that is why Bernie was suggesting that main teams run three cars........ It could end up like the 60s, 70s and 80s when there were loads of teams, some with only one car, trying to make it onto the grid via pre-qualifying.

[manxie]

My thoughts are that they have got too greedy as with many things these days.

It is no longer a "sport" nor a test of drivers skills as it used to be when there was less tecnology available.

It is only the richest or well funded teams have this at there command, the rest of the teams struggle to compete on an uneven playing field.

I think they should stop all the monitoring and changing of the cars settings whilst on the course same with radio contact and team orders, all should go.

Maybe then we will see competetive racing again and skilled drivers all with a winning chance.

I stopped watching F1 about 4-5 years ago as in my opinion it was no longer fair for all and it was becoming boring and less entertaining and I used to love watching all motorsports, bikes, cars and rallying.

A saddened Manxie xx

[Workingman]

Exactly Manxie, it has become more about what technology can be shoehorned into the aero package and chassis, and only the best funded teams can go that route.

[cromwell]

Agreed. Red Bull are rumoured to have spent £1.2 billion on F1 in the last 10 years or so. Only the super rich can afford that. I don't know why the back of the grid bother. Never in a million years are they going to win a race, so what's the point?

The difference as far as MotoGP and F1 are concerned is that MotoGP is considerably more entertaining...

[miasmum]

Sad but understandable.

I completely agree and it makes me cross that drivers from the lowlier teams never get a chance to progress these days.

[cromwell]

Now Marussia have gone into administration!

[Workingman]

Yes, and Max Mosely says a few more could go.......

I wonder about Lotus, whose finances have been shaky of late, and the Sauber car does not appear to have much in the way of sponsor advertising.

[miasmum]

Noooooo not Sauber, I'd be devastated. Peter Sauber has worked so hard for that team, buying it back when BMW nearly finished it off

[Workingman]

I know, Shell, they are my go-to team after Williams, but he cannot run the team on fresh air and even with $100m in his wallet he cannot match the $200m a year reported to be spent by the likes of RB, Ferrari or Mercedes.

[cromwell]

Either they have to find more rich sugar daddies to finance a team each or seriously try to cut the costs to the teams.
I agree, it would be a pity if Sauber went, and Lotus do indeed seem to be struggling as well.