Whilst FOM addresses the chance of Andretti joining F1 as an 11th team, FIA President Ben Sulayem makes clear he wants 12 teams.
After a vigorous and extensive selection process from the FIA, Andretti is the only outfit deemed capable of joining the F1 grid by 2026. The American team earned the Federation’s seal of approval to enter negotiations with FOM (Formula One Management). FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed great content with this decision.
There is plenty of debate regarding their chances of entering the field in 2025 or 2026. Existing teams’ general opposition and resistance suggest they face an uphill battle. With that said, more recent information suggests F1 will struggle to reject Andretti.
Simply put, the sport wants to avoid the inevitable public backlash that denying a wildly popular entrant could bring. Perhaps more significantly, the EU’s laws will make it difficult to justify turning down the American group.
To be clear, the two parties still have financial and commercial issues to resolve. Negotiations will almost certainly be extensive and drawn-out. In any case, time will tell whether a much-anticipated resolution is reached before the year ends.
Ben Sulayem’s Vision
Moving on from the prospect of an 11th team, Ben Sulayem wants 12. The Concorde Agreement, signed by every team on the field, permits a maximum of 12 outfits. Therefore, Ben Sulayem’s ambitions are certainly worth entertaining.
As Formula 1 continues to grow in popularity, the FIA President wants to see more teams from around the globe. Ben Sulayem has consistently emphasised the importance of allowing manufacturers to join the field.
Speaking to the media in Qatar, he made his perspective clear.
“Saying no to a team which has been approved by the FIA, it’s very hard to say no. You can call me optimistic. I’m always optimistic. I think yes.
“The FIA should be asking, begging OEMs (manufacturers) to come in. We should not just say no to them.
“If you say what is my dream, it is to fill up the 12 (potential grid spots). And to have a US team from an OEM and Power Unit and a driver from there driving.
“And then go to China, maybe, and ask for the same thing and do it.”
The next steps
From a political standpoint, these quotes are fascinating. There is a clear willingness from the FIA President to tackle FOM directly on issues of disagreement. This will be a crucial dynamic to observe in Formula 1 over the coming years.
It must be stressed that, though the prospect of 12 teams is exciting, there aren’t even guarantees Andretti will join the existing outfits. Still, momentum is slowly gathering in favour of more competitors in F1. The last time the F1 grid had 12 teams was in the 2012 season.
As ever, there are several stakeholders and players to consider. The inevitable push and pull between opposing actors will shape Formula 1’s direction and evolution. Following the growth in popularity from the 2021 Championship battle, decisions must be taken to safeguard the sport’s immediate and long-term well-being.
Generally, the prospect of 11 or 12 teams is seen as a positive development. Provided that such entries are economically viable (which they are), it won’t be easy to prevent the F1 grid from growing. However, the backing of the FIA President should be a big push in the right direction.
