Andretti Autosport, this time with Cadillac, made a lucrative deal for their entry which could boost the brand of F1 in the United States. However, F1 teams are largely against the arrival of a new opponent.
The primary reason is the further revenue-sharing divide among the F1 teams. Currently, the whole money from F1 to F1 teams is divided equally in column 1 to all the teams, and column 2 is divided based on the grid positions, with the champions getting the most.
Thus, if an 11th team enters the sport, the profit-sharing equity will dwindle. Thus, the current teams aren’t happy with that. Especially Toto Wolff, leading the campaign to oppose Andretti’s entry.
Toto Wolff sheds assessment of the bid
In terms of marketing, Wolff is not against the move and finds it a viable solution to get a solid base in America. But he questions what the new entity can add to the show.
“What I’ve said before is ‘What can you add to the show?’ if I’m trying to join up with a big auto company and manufacturer that would invest the same amount of money and activation in the promotion and advertising in the racing – which is what we do – it would be a fantastic add-on,” said Wolff.
He further adds that if an All-American team with an American driver enters F1. They can’t afford to be down in the grid and has to be competitive to achieve their commercial task.
FIA backs Andretti
On Sunday, FIA President Ben Sulayem strongly supported Andretti Cadillac’s entry into F1. He even alleged that there is resentment among F1 teams over the bid by Andretti.
He urges F1 teams to promote the entry of newer teams into the fold and the sport’s expansion. However, no F1 stakeholder has released any statement siding with any side.
.@Cadillac @FollowAndretti @GM @FIA @F1 pic.twitter.com/ziVL91FCec
— Mohammed Ben Sulayem (@Ben_Sulayem) January 8, 2023
With Sulayem’s statement, Andretti has won half the battle by getting FIA support. But for his entry, he still needs F1’s approval, as both entities unanimously have to agree on a team’s entrance. So still a long mountain to climb.
With Cadillac as an OEM, the sport will have six manufacturers simultaneously, which could happen only in 2026. Right now, there are only three, a staggering jump. Therefore, it only signifies F1 is now a hot destination for many.
Also read: Lando Norris abhors driving his $14 million McLaren car
