Caterham and Marussia no-shows in breach of regulations (Update)
Article 13.2 (f) of the Sporting Regulations states that a team's application to race in the championship contains "an undertaking by the applicant to participate in every Event with the number of cars and drivers entered."
Any sanction has been waived by the FIA in view of the teams' parlous "current financial circumstances" but the rules breach has nonetheless been referred to FIA President Jean Todt.
Under the terms of their commercial agreements with Bernie Ecclestone, teams are believed to be able to skip up to three races during a season, however the FIA governs separate entry requirements.
The governing body issued a statement earlier on Thursday expressing confidence that the stewards in Austin, which include ex-driver and BRDC President Derek Warwick, would show leniency towards F1's troubled backmarkers.
'The FIA has been informed of the financial difficulties of the Caterham F1 and Marussia F1 Teams and of the considerable uncertainty surrounding their participation in the final races of the 2014 championship.
'It is the responsibility of the FIA Stewards to determine whether or not a team has failed to fulfill its regulatory obligation to take part in all events on the calendar and to take whatever action they deem appropriate. However, we have every confidence that the Stewards are fully aware of the financial situation of the teams concerned and these matters are always assessed with extreme care and due regard for the circumstances involved.
10/30/14 FIA president Jean Todt will decide what action should be taken against Marussia and Caterham for missing this weekend's US Grand Prix after the stewards found both teams in breach of the regulations but opted not to impose a penalty.
F1's two smallest teams have not travelled to Austin this weekend after going into administration in the last two weeks. By not showing up, the stewards declared Marussia and Caterham are in breach of Article 13.2 (f) of the sporting regulations, which states teams should "participate in every event with the number of cars and drivers entered [at the start of the year]". However, the stewards decided not to impose a penalty and instead elevated the issue to Todt.
"In view of the teams' current financial circumstances, the stewards decide not to impose any penalty," read the stewards' statement. "Because of the particular nature of the breach, the matter is referred to the attention of the FIA president."
The stewards also confirmed that the absence of Marussia and Caterham means the qualifying format will be tweaked for an 18 car grid. Instead of six cars being eliminated in Q1 and Q2, only four cars will drop out in each session, thus leaving 10 to contest Q3. ESPN F1