[RahulNagaraj]

The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) has finally approved Andretti's application to join Formula One as the 11th team on the grid.

The governing body released a statement announcing that Andretti was the only applicant who got approved. However, the FIA's approval doesn't guarantee a place on the grid. The Andretti team will now have to reach a satisfactory deal with FOM - F1's commercial rights holders.



Formula 1 released a statement, stating, "We note the FIA's conclusions in relation to the first and second phases of their process and will now conduct our own assessment of the merits of the remaining application."

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, reiterated that the governing body has been very thorough in its process to approve Andretti to move to the final stages.

He stated, "The FIA was very clear in establishing stringent criteria for entry from the outset of the Expressions of Interest procedure." He further added, "Our objective, after rigorous due diligence during the application phase, was to only approve prospective entries which satisfied the set criteria and illustrated that they would add value to the sport."

The FIA President also mentioned, "Andretti Formula Racing LLC was the only entity which fulfils the selection criteria that was set in all material respects. I congratulate Michael Andretti and his team on a thorough submission. I also want to thank all prospective teams for their interest and participation."

To get into F1, the teams have to prove their capabilities in sporting, technical and financial aspects. The team also has to explain its sustainability plans and their positive societal impact.

Source: Motorsport

Link to Team-BHP news

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I'll believe it when I see it, and by that I mean when the teams finally agree. Toto, Christian et al have been absolute hypocrites (so their normal selves basically) about the anti dilution fee. Michael's going to have to cough up to get those guys in charge of the big teams to be willing to share their prize pot with an extra entrant.
All the other entrants in this round were mostly hogwash PR exercises, with the exception of the F2 team. Andretti have the infrastructure, the name recognition in the most key market to F1, and a coterie of blue chip sponsors in said market all in tow. The group want their pound of flesh up front is basically what I'm saying.

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https://twitter.com/SkySportsF1/stat...LyRo7oQtA&s=19

TLDR: Lawrence Stroll urges F1 not to expand beyond 10 teams.

There we go. Just as I figured. One of the guys comes out with their objection to expanding the grid. The sad reality is Andretti is being given the run around by the FIA so that they can gain back some goodwill with the fans (after their Dubai debacle 2 years ago) by showing that they're open to growth, knowing full well that any entrant unless financed by a petro state ruler or an oligarch will get blocked by the cartel, sorry the teams I mean.

It's such a joke. Followed this sport my entire life and you'd think I'd be used to these shenanigans having lived through CVC Capital and the Bernie era, but nope, new era, same old people in charge.

[Hatari]

Originally Posted by ads11

I'll believe it when I see it, and by that I mean when the teams finally agree.
...

If you were an existing team owner, having lived through all years of exorbitant F1 spending and teams being sold for only $1, to now finally, having the cost cap implemented, and realistic measures in place, growing popularity, how would you react?

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Originally Posted by Hatari

If you were an existing team owner, having lived through all years of exorbitant F1 spending and teams being sold for only $1, to now finally, having the cost cap implemented, and realistic measures in place, growing popularity, how would you react?

I'm sorry, those same teams were the ones who made that Concorde Agreement where they built in the terms of for an expansion franchise. Fixing the broken prize pot payment model for a self sustaining closed circuit was originally intended to stem the bleeding (which it needed with teams falling off left right and centre). The success can be seen in the fact that despite the constant histrionics by Guenther for eg, Haas still ticks along, and Williams can still soldier on. The financial measures are robust evidently in doing their main task.

My gripe is with the lot of them changing the goalposts for entry. Now that their closed loop has generated a pot far greater than they'd imagined, they're acting in bad faith and claiming the entry fee, which let's admit is an anti dilution fee to soften the blow of the lost prize pot money to add an additional share, is insufficient, when the growth in the total prize pool has been so much that they'd not make anywhere near the same percentage dent that they would've previously. They're basically still making far more than their own prize pot dilution projections. Andretti have submitted answers to every query put forth within the terms of the Concorde Agreement (and then some) and these same greedy few keep moving the goalposts for their own ulterior motives (notice how it's just the same few teams - this opposition is by no means unanimous). You only need look at the fact that fan sentiment is broadly unsympathetic to Stroll's position for eg. They're getting away with it relying on the new fans brought in not quite getting up to speed with the cartel's inherently anti competitive business practices but I can say (anecdotal evidence sure) from folks I know who got into the sport on the back of the DTS wave, the earliest converts amongst that cohort are now beginning to sour, just the same the rest of us long suffering fans are.

The likes of Lawrence can go take their crocodile tears and do one.

[Hatari]

Its all very nice to put your mouth where your money isnt!
Are you saying, as a team owner you would give up potentially over a $100m in the next Concorde agreement period?

As a fan , I would love to see Andretti and say a Toyota enter F1. There no question of saying no to established names in Motorsport.

As a team owner, any businessman with half a brain would fight against diluting the pot. I would do the same.
The teams are fully aware they now sit on a goldmine, for the first time in the HISTORY OF F1. The longer they wait, the higher the valuation of each team.

Williams new owners have turned down 4x their buying price, who would say no to that sort of an windfall?
Smart people!

Also, dont forget, with each new team, more people get poached from existing teams, creating further difficulties.

[venukrithish]

I don't think there's going to be a 11th team, atleast in the near future.

[Thalla]

They might have given the green light by the FIA but there are some more hurdles for them to be finally having their team in the F1. Personally, I think 10 teams are enough.

[RM Motorsports]

First look at the Andretti Racing wind tunnel model and roll structure. They're well advanced on this project.

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F1 needs to get out of the manufacturer team mindset but thankfully that's going to be the only way in for Andretti as their entry has been blocked yet again. Love how F1 argues Andretti won't be a competitive entry unless it's basically a GM works team in all but name but are willing to put up with the poverty team that is Haas where Gene thrift shops his way into whatever bones Maranello will throw him plus no additional investment of note. Make it make sense.

F1 allege the Andretti name would bring no added benefit to the F1 brand, instead it'll be the other way around. But they're totally fine again with Gene basically using his decrepit team to flog his CNC machines to F1s global markets (it's amazing what an uptick of business Haas got for CNC machines in Russia).

Glad F1 is getting pilloried online for the laughable contradictions of their statements. I wonder if Bernie is shedding a tear somewhere at the way the manufacturers have bandied together to engage in his kind of chicanery.