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End of the road for Marussia F1 team as Brazilian Grand Prix practice starts

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British driver Max Chilton in a free practice session at Sochi for the Marussia F1 team, which administrators shut down on Friday. Photo: AFP

The British-based Marussia Formula One team were shut down yesterday, with some 200 staff told the company had ceased trading and they were being made redundant.

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Administrators FRP Advisory, based in London, said the team had "no sustainable operational or financial structure in place to maintain the group as a going concern".

"The joint administrators have now ceased trading Marussia F1 Team and, unfortunately, have had to make the remaining staff redundant," it added.

It makes me very sad because Marussia had a good group of people, real racers and they have gone through lots of dramas
Toto Wolff

The staff members, whose hopes might have been raised by the team appearing on a provisional entry list for the 2015 championship earlier in the week, were told in a long and emotional meeting just after midday yesterday.

The news broke in the Brazilian Grand Prix paddock as the nine teams were lapping the Interlagos circuit in first practice.

"It makes me very sad because Marussia had a good group of people, real racers and they have gone through lots of dramas," Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff said.

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"What is really frustrating is the personal situation of some of the guys who were involved in the team, who believed."

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