• US Grand Prix

F1 set for smallest race grid since 2005

ESPN Staff
October 27, 2014 « Marussia enters administration, will miss US GP | Mosley warns of more teams collapsing »
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The news Caterham and Marussia will both miss the United States Grand Prix means the Austin race is set to feature the smallest F1 grid in nearly a decade.

Caterham and Marussia were both placed under administration in the space of five days in the weeks following the Russian Grand Prix, meaning just 18 cars will line up for the race in Austin. The 2005 Monaco Grand Prix was the last time 18 cars started a race in Formula One as BAR Honda completed its two-race ban for running an underweight car in San Marino.

Both Caterham and Marussia debuted in 2010 - under the guise of Lotus and Virgin Racing - but their current financial situations raise serious questions about the future of F1 for smaller teams and even the make-up of the grid in the future. There has been talk this year of what will happen if the grid permanently drops below 20 cars, with Bernie Ecclestone bringing up the possibility of third cars being run to bolster numbers. The plight of both teams will also once again raise the issue of a cost cap, which failed to be implemented for 2015 following resistance from F1's leading teams earlier this year.

F1 has previous when it comes to a limited number of cars running in the United States; the controversial 2005 race saw just six cars start the race after Michelin's entrants pulled out at the end of the formation lap due to a dispute over safety at the Indianapolis Speedway.

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