Toto Wolff and Christian Horner appear to put their differences aside as they take a united stance against the proposed introduction of an 11th team to Formula 1 by 2025.
The FIA announced earlier this year that they were accepting applications for a new team to join the grid by 2025, but Wolff and Horner are both against this move.
Several teams, including Andretti Cadillac and LKY SUNZ, have already submitted their applications to enter F1, generating significant interest.
Michael Andretti, in particular, is keen for a decision to be reached by the summer on which team will be granted entry.
However, the proposed entry of a new team into F1 has raised valid concerns among the existing teams.
Horner, for instance, is apprehensive that this move could lead to a reduction in financial resources for the ten teams currently competing on the grid.
“I think the issues remain the same as 12 months ago, both fiscally – what is the incentive for an existing team or franchise to accept an 11th entrant – and then ultimately, who pays?” Horner said.
“I mean, if it dilutes the income of the 10, it’s like turkeys voting for Christmas. Why would they do that? You know, are Liberty prepared to pay and fund an 11th team? Are the FIA prepared to reduce their fees to help accommodate it? So, you know, there are all the financial aspects.
“But I think beyond that with the way that the sport has now developed, if you look at the pit lane, for example, here or somewhere like Monaco, Zandvoort, or some of the circuits that we’re now racing at, where would we be able to accommodate an 11th team?
Wolff and his long-time adversary share a common perspective on this matter, as he asserts that the current F1 teams should be involved in the decision-making process regarding the proposed new team.
“First of all, we have no say in this,” Wolff said. “If we’re being asked… Our opinion is being asked. But we’re not part of the process of choosing a team or not.
“The opinion that we have expressed is that it’s very difficult in Formula 1 to perform. It has taken us many years to be where we are. We’ve gone through really difficult times where Formula 1 wasn’t the blockbuster it is today, and therefore whoever enters the sport, I think it would be beneficial for all of us if they can really bring something new to the show.”
“If it can help us to increase our audiences or if there is lots of marketing dollars that are being invested, similar to what we have done over the years. Red Bull and Mercedes, sitting here, I mean, hundreds of millions. And if that were the case, I think we need to be all open-minded and say how can we contribute to making that happen? But again, we’re not part of the governance,” he added.
“So I would very much hope that we find someone, if we decided to go for another team, that somebody can really leverage what we have today and make it even greater.”
The likelihood of an 11th team joining Formula 1 is further reinforced by the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s recent endorsement of Andretti Cadillac’s bid to enter the sport.
