American football is among some of the most competitive sports in the world. Athletes rise through grassroots levels, starting from local leagues to college football, before getting a chance to play professionally in the NFL. With 32 teams and 53 players per roster, the NFL provides ample opportunities for athletes to showcase their talent.
However, according to RB driver, Liam Lawson, the competition in motorsport, particularly in F1, is on an entirely different level — and much tougher. Lawson, who stepped into a full-time seat in F1 this season, recently spoke with ESPN about the challenges young drivers face trying to secure a seat in the sport.
He highlighted the stark reality of the sport, stating, “I think you know most pro sports… they have a lot more than 20 seats or positions available. Whether it’s football or the NFL or whatever big sport, I think most of them have a considerable amount of positions available. And in Formula 1, there are 20 seats and that’s it.”
Lawson explained that for young drivers, reaching F1 is the ultimate dream. From the moment they begin karting, their goal is to progress through the ranks of motorsport to reach the pinnacle of racing. However, with only 10 teams and 20 seats, the odds are incredibly slim.
Liam Lawson sits down for an exclusive interview with F1TV ahead of his return to the grid at the US Grand Prix #F1 #USGP
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 16, 2024
“You have plenty of guys coming through from all sorts of different categories and there’s just nowhere for us to go. So that’s what’s tough about our sport but also what makes it the pinnacle,” Lawson added.
What makes this even harder is that it’s not just talent that gets drivers into F1. Sponsorships, personal branding, and a driver’s commercial value also play a huge role in whether a team decides to sign them.
The correlation between lack of seats and new F1 teams
The level of difficulty in making it all the way to F1 means that even some of the best young talents end up missing out, and many are forced to look for opportunities in other racing series like IndyCar, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), etc.
Adding to the difficulty is the fact that F1 is more popular than ever. The sport has seen a meteoric rise in global interest over the past few years, driven by Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’ series and an increase in races in the U.S.
As the value of F1 teams and sponsorships continues to grow, competition for the limited grid spots is tougher than ever. Despite the sport’s growing popularity, the number of seats remains unchanged. Efforts to expand the grid, such as Andretti’s bid to become the 11th team, have faced significant resistance.
Andretti’s bid to join the F1 Grid for 2025 or 26 (approved by the FIA) has been rejected by the commercial rights holder. Conclusions of F1’s report are below – door remains open for joining in 2028 pic.twitter.com/y9KXlA0lB7
— David Croft (@CroftyF1) January 31, 2024
While the FIA approved Andretti’s entry earlier this year, the Formula One Management (FOM) rejected the bid. Other teams, such as Hitech GP, Rodin Carlin, and LKY SUNZ, have also submitted bids to join the F1 grid, which eventually faced rejections.
Current teams are reluctant to share the financial pie with new entrants, fearing their own revenue from the sport will shrink. The final decision on whether the grid will expand is expected to be addressed during the next Concorde Agreement, which comes into effect in 2026.
