Michael Andretti ‘s attempt to expand his project and join Formula 1 has met with much opposition from most of motorsport’s top-flight teams. Currently, there are 10 teams that make up the grid, and 11 have not participated since Manor left at the end of the 2016 season.
The groups are tired of having to share the prize money with one more member, and believe that the current fund of 200 million dollars [196 million euros at current exchange rates] required to participate is no longer sufficient, since the value of owning a Formula 1 team has risen significantly since that price was set, in part due to global interest in the sport and the newly introduced budget cap.
However, amidst rumors about Audi possibly entering the Grand Circus, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes the German manufacturer’s size and marketing power would make it an 11th-higher-rated team than Andretti. , even if Americans are a powerhouse in IndyCar, Formula E, Extreme E and Australian Supercars.
“I think whoever comes in as the 11th team, whoever gets a ticket, has to show that they can serve the business,” Wolff said. “Andretti is a great guy, and I think he’s done exceptional things in America, but this is a sport and a business, so we have to see what they can bring to the table.”
“And if a multinational company joins Formula 1, and can show that they are going to spend X amount of money on assets and marketing in the different markets, it is something of value for all the other teams,” acknowledged the Austrian.
The director of Mercedes affirmed that the category wants to continue increasing its value in the coming years, and believes that any new participant must contribute to that process.
“With ten teams that we hope can increase the value, you are not going to increase it just by admitting new teams with people who cannot increase the value of Formula 1,” he explained.
In addition to Audi , the brand that also belongs to the Volkswagen Group, Porsche , is about to announce a major agreement to supply power units to Red Bull from 2026, when the new engine regulations come into force.
For its part, Honda , current partner of the Milton Keynes team, had officially left Formula 1, but continues to collaborate with the energy drink team, and is considering the possibility of returning in 2026, when the fuel regulations change. with a simplified hybrid system.
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