The 'bar is very high' for an 11th team to join the Formula 1 grid
- Heinrich Griessel
- 5 August 2023
It remains unlikely that an 11th team will join the F1 line-up, unless it can add enough value to the sport.
Despite the enthusiasm from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, both Liberty Media and Formula 1 remain hesitant to welcome an 11th team into the sport by 2025.
Ben Sulayem has emphasised the FIA's responsibility to initiate an entry process, citing that the Concorde Agreement permits the inclusion of up to 12 teams. He has firmly asserted that he's adhering to the regulations by pursuing this course of action.
Currently, the governing body is meticulously evaluating the proposals put forth by the potential new entrants.
"I think there's little daylight between Stefano's and my view, which is we have 10 great teams, and we're very excited about what they're doing," said Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei in a call with Wall Street analysts.
"There was a process to add more teams, but the bar is very high. And it's unclear what value an 11th team would add. And there is a lot of uncertainty among the other teams about an 11th team.
"The FIA and we have had productive discussions about all this. Do we agree on everything, every moment? No, we discuss it, and we hopefully work things out."
Stefano Domenicali, F1's CEO, has consistently emphasised that any potential 11th team must bring tangible value to the sport.
This stance finds resonance among the current team principals throughout the paddock.
"The FIA started the process, as is their possibility," said Domenicali. "We are waiting for the final conclusion.
"But as always in this discussion, we'll find agreement together, because as [Maffei] said the value of the teams and value of the business today is very, very strong.
"That decision, that information, will come very, very soon, I would say within the month of September."
