Final chance for Caterham

2014 is the final chance for Caterham according to team owner Tony Fernandes.

The 49-year-old Malaysian businessman has decided to hand his team an ultimatum ahead of the 2014 Formula One World Championship.

‘If we’re not competing then we have to seriously examine ourselves and ask ‘does this make sense?’ Fernandes told the BBC.

‘My message to the 250 people here (at Leafield) is we have to go for it this year. This is it – the final chance,’

‘We’ve given you the best infrastructure, the best potential drivers, but it is now down to all of you to go and do it.

‘If we’re at the back I don’t think I’m going to carry on. Nothing is set in stone, but after five years with no points there is a limit to one’s patience, money and motivation so it’s an important year.’

After 77 Grands Prix, Caterham have failed to score a single Formula One World Championship point.

Vitaly Petrov’s 11th place finish at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix has been the teams best result to-date.

Since they entered Formula One, Caterham [or Team Lotus as they were originally known], have been the best of the newbie teams who first entered in 2010.

For three consecutive seasons Caterham finished tenth in the F1 constructors championship, but in 2013 they lost out to Marussia.

If Fernandes was to quit Formula One, he is likely to concentrate more on airline AirAsia and English Championship club QPR, who he also owns.