F1: Domenicali remains against adding new F1 teams
–by Mark Cipolloni–
Appearing on this week’s F1 ‘‘Beyond the Grid’ podcast hosted by Tom Clarkson, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says, “10 teams are more than enough” for the sport to be successful, and he personally doesn’t want to expand beyond 20 cars on the grid.
The FIA is currently evaluating a rumored 6 new team applicants for up to two open slots (2 teams, 4 cars) to join the F1 grid. Andretti Global with Cadillac is one of the new applicants – an all-American team.
Both the FIA and Liberty Media as the commercial rights holder will have a say in any expansion, but as F1 CEO Domenicali believes the current 10 teams is the ideal number.
“This is a very interesting question (what is the right number of teams) because there are different positions and there are also legal implications to what we have to say.
“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.”
Asked whether he himself would like to see more than 20 cars, Domenicali responded: “No. I don’t think so. That’s a personal opinion, I need to say that. Because it’s something that if you have a good show, 20 cars are more than enough.
“If you have two cars or two drivers fighting, the level of attention is mega. So if you have already two teams fighting, that means four cars, it’s just incredible. So can you imagine 20 cars, 10 teams are at the level where there is competition on track? It would be impressive.
“I would say let’s wait and see. My ‘no’ is not against someone who wants to come in — I need to clarify that because otherwise it seems that I want to be protectionist. That is not the case. I want to see the right one and I need to also respect the ones that have invested in Formula 1 in the last period, because we forget too quickly in that respect.
“Now everyone wants to jump in the coach that is very fast. But we need to be prudent, we need to take the right decision, that’s what I’m saying.”
Domenicali wants no new teams until new Concorde Agreement goes into effect
The current Concorde Agreement that expires after the 2025 season calls for any new team to pay a $200 million anti-dilution fee.
The plan for the new Concorde Agreement starting in 2026 is to raise the entry fee to $1 billion. That is the number talked about, and it’s clear from Domenicali’s comments on the podcast, it will be a cold day in hell before any new team slips in under the existing Concorde Agreement.
“There is an evaluation going on today that involves the FIA and us to make the right call for the future. This is something that is also connected to the future discussion that will happen with the renewal of the Concorde Agreement, that we need to remember is expiring in 2025, so we still have a long time to go.
“But it’s an evaluation that we need to take considering in this period of time, where in the past there were teams that were coming in, getting out with zero value. Now the teams are stable, very profitable and very strong in terms of also technical capability to be competitive on the track.
“Therefore, the right answer is that in the next months it will be a very important point of discussion that we need to tackle. That is, do we need to stay with 10, do we need to have more teams, or we can give the exemption to a future possible team to be really very, very strong that can join F1? This is all a topic that will be part of the discussion for the future.”
