The F1 Strategy Group has rejected Marussia’s request to use its 2014 chassis this season, sources have confirmed.
Changes to the regulations related to front chassis height for 2015 mean that most of last season’s chassis are now illegal, including the Marussia.
Given the financial problems that forced the team into administration the team’s only chance to carry on in its current form would be to utilise last year’s chassis, which used a Ferrari power unit and gearbox. Even if Marussia had got permission today, one assumes that the £16m debt to Ferrari would have to be addressed before anything was supplied for 2015.
The Strategy Group includes Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Williams on a permanent basis, as well as the next best placed constructor, which this year is Force India. Each team has a vote, while the FIA has six votes and Formula One Management (in other words Bernie Ecclestone) has six votes.
In theory only proposals that emerge intact from the Strategy Group can go onto the F1 Commission, and then to the World Motor Sport Council for final approval.
It was announced earlier this week that Marussia had apparently found a way forward and that it was exiting administration as of February 19, but options now appear to be limited for John Booth and his colleagues.
By co-incidence the Caterham administrator announced today that the team’s cars and other assets are going to be auctioned, in effect confirming that the attempt to keep the team running as a going concern had been abandoned.
It remains to be seen whether or not this really is the end of the story for the two teams that both made their debuts at the start of 2010.
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog 
Sickening short-sightedness… as usual from the idiots running the sport. #sigh
I wonder if there is truth to the rumors that the big five (Ferrari, Mercedes, etc) were going to go ahead and let Marussia race and it was Force India that ‘vetoed’ the request. If so, Vijay Mallya will lose a lot of respect from fans in the F1 community. At the end of last season, he was loudly railing against the big teams and passionately arguing for the survival of small teams. And now his might be the deciding vote that kept a small team off the grid.
Having said that, I think even if Marussia’s request had been approved, they wouldn’t have been able to make it to Melbourne. Too much to do in too little time.
Little wonder here, in as much as the decision is being made by those who will split the revenue of the 2014 season.
What are they scared of, besides, Ferrari would have a customer for their engines. AND a place to run a rookie, that why Ferrari put Bianchi there. The top teams have no vision, new blood improves the breed and Marussia was never going to threaten them
If Force India falters, cue the 3 car teams……:(
Even this early I can’t see 3 car teams being a runner – and I certainly don’t want to see them.
However if, as reported elsewhere the villain of the piece was Force India, then I’m crossing everything and hoping the bastards sink. Fcuk them.
Amazing short sightedness. F1 Needs more teams not less