Bad news for Andretti as Stefano Domenicali stands firm on 11th team debate

BY MICHELLE FOSTER JULY 17, 2023, 7:30AM

Back in February the FIA opened the application process for an 11th team, potentially even a 12th, to the join the Formula 1 grid with motorsport’s governing body saying at the time they hoped to make a decision by the end of June.

That, though, has not been forthcoming while several of the existing teams have spoken out against the inclusion of an 11th team.

The team bosses are not only worried about having to share the prize money, F1 regulations stating it would need to be split between all the teams on the grid not just the top-10 as it has been in the past, but also that an 11th team would dilute the value of the sport. Domenicali agrees with them that an additional team is not necessary for the success of Formula 1. “I think to be honest, if the real value that it is bringing to the sport is important and is real and stable for the future, there is also another consideration that you have to take. If the contest is growing — which is what we can see today — I think 10 teams are more than enough to create the show or the business and the attention that we want to see on the track,” he told the Beyond the Grid podcast earlier this year. Six months later the F1 chief says he still stands by that sentiment.

“I’m not changing my mind,” he told Motorsport.com. “It’s not the money, as we have said, and I don’t want to anticipate anything because there is a process and I think that I have respect for the fact the FIA launched their process, and very soon we will arrive at the conclusion.

“As we always said, we need to make sure that the decision is right for the business. And this is what I think is the duty of the FIA and us together, that has to be taken. So that is another decision that will be taken in the next couple of months.”

Asked specifically about Andretti, with Michael Andretti having recently backtracked on his greed comments, Domenicali replied: “There are positives and negatives, that’s part of the evaluation that we’re doing. So I cannot spoil or anticipate anything.

“We are doing things very seriously and correctly. So as soon as we will be ready for that discussion we’re going to inform, as a discussion we’re going to take it with the FIA together.”

Andretti is one of five hopefuls that have applied for a spot on the grid along with Carlin, Hitech, Formula Equal and LKY SUNZ.

But while Domenicali says it’s not about the money, Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff accepts that in part it actually is.

“There is no mature sports league in the world, whether it’s a national football championship, the Champions League, the NBA, the NFL, the NHL, where such a situation is possible by simply setting up a team and joining – thank you very much, drinking out of the prize fund,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com.

“You have to qualify, you have to go through the ranks, showcase commitment to the championship, that we’ve done over the many years.

“If it’s creative, and what we’ve seen so far hasn’t convinced the teams, but we haven’t seen the applications and submissions that were made to the FIA and to Stefano and they will judge whether that is positive for Formula 1 or not.”****

  • forced1nduction@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    So frustrating and disappointing, ugh! At least Toto is being more transparent about the reason; Domenicali is a fool if he thinks anyone buys that it’s not about the money.

  • GeneralEmergency@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I don’t want to watch the same 10 teams. Finish in the same 10 positions. For the next 10 years.

    Honestly if Andretti doesn’t get in, it’s going to kill my desire to watch F1.

    • kunaltyagi@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      F1 will never be a sport which has giant upheavals. Even football in national and champion’s league has stability despite FPP rules for longer than cost cap in F1

  • KlossN@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    “it’s not about the money”

    “it’s about what’s best for the business”

    Stefano, money is always what’s best for business, you’re literally contradicting yourself in to consecutive sentences

  • Arkatakor@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Have Andretti and other hopeful Formula 1 teams thought about adding “Sonny Hayes” to their drivers line-up? I’m sure that will push Domenicali’s needle.

  • Lord_Logjam@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The NBA is literally starting to talk about an expansion to their league. The Champions league is expanding the number of teams in 24-25. He’s talking bollocks.

  • BURN@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’m going to be honest. I still don’t see the benefit of an 11th team, especially not Andretti who hasn’t built a bespoke racing car in an extremely long time.

    Adding an 11th team that we still see nothing of isn’t going to improve anything.

    • Photographer@lemmy.worldM
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      1 year ago

      More cars = more racing

      I think thats the expectation, it might just mean more traffic during quali and some extra blue flags though

    • soviettaters@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      There is no reason for F1 to prevent it though. If the team pays up and meets all the (reasonable) requirements, then it’s just discrimination against smaller teams at that point. It doesn’t help that Andretti would be an American team.

  • itsathursday@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Why not have a relegation like football leagues? Top F2 teams jump up every 5 years or something and bottom F1 teams on aggregate also drop?

    • JJROKCZ@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Because the top f2 teams cannot afford f1 and even the bottom f1 teams would likely crush the f2 field.