Ever since Andretti has demonstrated interest in joining F1 as an eleventh team, a huge amount of focus has shifted back to the sport’s Concorde Agreement. As per the eighth Concorde Agreement signed back in 2020, any new team keen on joining the grid had to pay $200 million as an anti-dilution fee. However, according to reports, this fee could increase to $600 million as per the new agreement.
According to Motorsport.com, all teams will soon sign the ninth Concorde Agreement for 2026 and beyond. As per this agreement, any team keen on joining the grid from 2026 onwards will need to pay $600 million to all the existing 10 outfits as an anti-dilution fee. This sum will then increase to $700 million from 2028 onwards.
Moreover, as per this agreement, any new entrant will not receive any prize money in their first year on the grid. Since the figure is massive, motorsport.com adds that this anti-dilution fee is likely to discourage prospective entrants like Andretti from joining the grid as an eleventh team.
Instead, teams like Andretti will be encouraged to buy out one of the current 10 teams on the grid. Audi adopted a similar approach as they bought out Sauber and will now officially join the grid from 2026 onwards.
However, as per reports, Andretti is doing everything in their potential to join F1 as an eleventh team as they do not seem to have any interest in purchasing a current side. The American outfit also reached out to US lawmakers to add pressure on Formula One Management (FOM) to grant them entry.
Christian Horner slams Andretti’s approach to join F1’s grid
According to racefans.net, Andretti has been gathering support from several US Senators to add pressure on FOM to grant them entry into F1 as an eleventh team. As many as six US Senators wrote to the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission recently to look into the matter.
On realizing that Andretti has reached out to US lawmakers to gather support, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner slammed the American outfit’s approach. The Briton said, “This isn’t about anything to do with Andretti being American or anything like that. It’s purely down to the business model that is Formula 1”.
The 50-year-old then added how he “was surprised to see” the path Andretti have chosen. He believes that if the American outfit are indeed desperate to find a way to enter the grid, then their “most natural solution” is undoubtedly to acquire another existing team, should one of them be willing to sell.
