Strugglers rule out Austin boycott

Formula One's mid-grid strugglers are determined to carve out a fairer distribution of wealth, but they are not contemplating a boycott of this weekend's United States Grand Prix.
This became clear when the team bosses of Force India, Lotus and Sauber dismissed reports suggesting they were prepared to take such drastic action and, instead, emphasised they intend to find a way of reforming F1's business plan.
Lotus owner Gerard Lopez said: "I've just found out about the story (to boycott the race) now, so my answer is no. I've had a meeting with them about the cash distribution and so on and that's it.

"But I'm not aware of this (boycott plan). I don't even know where this comes from and that's the whole point."
Lopez added: "I don't think there is an agenda -- I sure hope there is none -- but things have to drastically change in the next couple of weeks.
"Not because teams are going to be driven away, but because if you don't take a situation like this one seriously, to change something, then you are never going to do it."

He went on: "Listening to people say we have to have a certain amount to compete in the sport, a figure that scares new manufacturers to come in, is ridiculous yet that's the reality of things right now.

"In a sport where $120 million is perceived to be nothing, that is a pretty scary thought. Connected to that there is a lot of frustration because it should not be that way. It's just a catastrophe.
"I look at it as a business person. It's an asset that's worth a lot of money, but it's only worth a lot of money if it has diversity, a bit of everything that has been the fabric of Formula One."
The absence of the cash-starved Caterham and Marussia teams at the Circuit of the Americas this weekend has prompted a mini-crisis in the sport.