Formula 1 could see the grid expand to a full twelve teams in the coming years, according to increasing speculation within the paddock.
Formula 1 could see the grid expand to a full twelve teams in the coming years, according to increasing speculation within the paddock.
The FIA has already approved the Andretti bid, which has since rebranded as Cadillac, for entry as the eleventh team from 2026. However, Liberty Media initially resisted the expansion before Cadillac met additional requirements.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem explained the process during an interview in Qatar last week. “He (F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali) said to me ‘We need a manufacturer, not just another team.’ So they disappeared for a few months and came back with a manufacturer.
“Then they proposed (to make) a power unit. They ticked all the boxes and we couldn’t say no to them anymore.”
The addition of Cadillac is exciting news for current drivers, including Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who is eager to see more cars on the grid.
“It’s going to be my first time to race with 22 cars,” Gasly said. “So, more rivals, probably more action, more racing. Exciting, exciting times.”
Reports from Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport suggest that a twelfth team could join the grid within the next five years.
“The regulations allow a maximum of 12 entries, and after the experience with Cadillac, Formula 1 does not want to rule out another applicant. Especially as it could be Toyota,” the publication noted.
Mario Andretti, the 1978 world champion and a board member for the Cadillac F1 project, has also heard similar rumours.
“Obviously, as an engine manufacturer, there is the option to supply other teams with engines,” Andretti told CBS Detroit. “It looks like the FIA might invite a twelfth team.
“So there will always be a need for engines,” he added.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is an advocate for expanding the grid to the full twelve-team capacity.
“Why not?” he said, as quoted by Auto Hebdo. “It’s about doing the right thing for Formula 1. So why do we have an option of 12 if we always have to say no, no, and no?
“For me, it is very clear that getting an eleventh team is a victory for everyone.”
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