2025 Formula 1 Constructors threadFormula 1 

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Honda still signed up as an engine supplier from 2026, despite being replaced by Ford for Red Bull and AlphaTauri.
 
The latest reason to block Andretti... parking.

I think that in itself, just operationally…where do we put the motorhomes? Where do we put the support? Where do the trucks go? I just think it would be an incredibly difficult thing to be accommodated with the way that the sport has currently evolved as well.
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racer.com

Like money, there are logistical barriers to new F1 teams like Andretti - Horner, Wolff | RACER

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the likes of Andretti wanting to join Formula 1 face a tough task because there are logistical issues as well as financial ones.Andretti has been publicly targeting a spot on the F1 grid for more than a year, partnering with Cadillac to form...
racer.com racer.com

Guessing Andretti stating that if they did get an F1 entry they would also start a feeder series team(s) kind of threw them a curveball so they had to come up with something. It will be interesting to see what the next excuse is, my money is on "The printer back at the office got jammed while printing the entry forms and the repairman can't get out until next week".
 
Northstar
The latest reason to block Andretti... parking.



racer.com

Like money, there are logistical barriers to new F1 teams like Andretti - Horner, Wolff | RACER

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the likes of Andretti wanting to join Formula 1 face a tough task because there are logistical issues as well as financial ones.Andretti has been publicly targeting a spot on the F1 grid for more than a year, partnering with Cadillac to form...
racer.com racer.com

Guessing Andretti stating that if they did get an F1 entry they would also start a feeder series team(s) kind of threw them a curveball so they had to come up with something. It will be interesting to see what the next excuse is, my money is on "The printer back at the office got jammed while printing the entry forms and the repairman can't get out until next week".
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Pretty sure one of the stipulations for a track getting an FIA Grade 1 rating, and with it the ability to host an F1 race, is that there needs to be room for at least 26 cars and their respective teams. It wasn't that long ago that there were 12 teams on the grid, either.

Just more cowardly goalpost moving from F1s elite.
 
Lol, these teams are being so ungrateful a d greedy about this they deserve to have 2 more teams take their prize money. WITHOUT the ridiculous pay-to-enter fee too.
 
It's obviously a ******** take. Wolff is a part owner of the Mercedes team, he doesn't want any money coming out of his own pocket.
 
NotThePrez


Seems like a FIA-FOM war might be brewing?

At this point I'm pulling for the FIA to tell the teams and FOM to get bent.
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F1 bid from Andretti
Is an FIA vs. Formula 1 power struggle looming?

Four teams have applied for places in the Formula 1 field. Two are expected to get the green light from the FIA. That puts the ball in the court of F1 officials. But the example of Andretti Autosport could ignite a power struggle. We explain the background.
Michael Schmidt
18.07.2023

Formula 1 has become an attractive stage. Anyone who invests half a billion dollars today to enter the premier class is worth 800 million in no time at all. But to do so, he first has to get a ticket into the exclusive circle. The sporting regulations hold seats for twelve teams with 24 cars.

Four teams applied for entry in February. After a formal review of the questionnaires, the FIA took a closer look at the four candidates and examined whether they would be technically, personnel-wise and financially capable of handling a Formula One project at all.

Officially, the four applicants have not been named to date. In the paddock, it is rumored that in addition to the two well-known names Andretti Autosport and Hitech Grand Prix, a project called "Lucky Sun" run by a wealthy Hong Kong Chinese and Rodin Motorsport from New Zealand have also submitted their applications. Behind Rodin is Australian billionaire David Dicker, who made his fortune selling computer hardware and software.

Rejection by the teams

The FIA's review process is due to be completed by the end of July, but word is already leaking out that Andretti and Hitech GP could get the green light. This means the ball is in Formula 1's court, and Liberty can theoretically raise objections to the applications. Formula 1 headquarters is deliberately keeping a low profile and prefers to let the teams speak for themselves. And with the exception of Alpine, they tend to signal rejection.

Alpine supports the application from new contenders because the French racing team would be the first port of call for engines and a chassis partnership. In fact, all four candidates have already approached Alpine. It is clear to all of them that the only way to enter Formula 1 is with the Haas-Ferrari model. For Alpine, that would be a welcome source of income.

The other teams are also in it for the money, even if they don't make that clear. The $200 million that every newcomer has to put on the table to compensate the established teams is not enough for the establishment. They estimate the compensation to be closer to $600 million. They'd also like to have a say in the admissions process for new teams. At the moment, they don't have veto power.

No added value for Formula 1

But both can only be anchored in the next Concorde Agreement from 2026. And that is still in its infancy. The teams formulate their rejection stoically with the argument that any newcomer must increase the added value of the series. But what exactly the added value is, they don't say.

They would probably accept a car manufacturer like General Motors as an independent team, but even such a heavyweight would be better advised to buy into an existing team rather than start something from scratch.

Ferrari team boss Frédéric Vasseur simply says: "The nationality of the team should not play a role. It can't be a ticket just because someone comes from the United States. We already have an American team in Haas. The popularity of Formula One is measured more by the nationality of the drivers than the teams anyway."

Colleague Toto Wolff reminds us that the franchise systems of American sports are a closed circle. Where new clubs are admitted, all shareholders are likely to have a say, including the long-established teams. Under this condition, expansion makes sense because everyone is included.

Meanwhile, protectionism extends to the point where teams cite operational reasons against expanding the field. "Most circuits don't even have room for 11 garages in the pit lane." Or, "In qualifying sessions, we trip over ourselves at some tracks because there's so much traffic on the track. That's a safety hazard."

Who's the boss in the ring?

If the FIA now certifies the F1 suitability of one or two applicants, this could result in a power struggle between the FIA and F1 management. Perhaps the federation even wants this to happen. FIA President Mohammed Bin Sulayem could want to use Andretti as an example to show who is the real boss in the house. He is apparently increasingly bothered by the fact that the public perception is different. For most, Stefano Domenicali is the boss.

Formula 1 is celebrated for sold-out races, full box offices and the boom in the premier class. The FIA takes a beating for incomprehensible regulations, too many penalties and overly long decision-making processes. This apparently fuels the president's desire to show the flag on an issue where he believes the majority of fans are on his side.

Hitech GP is likely to be jumped over on the federation's side and shown to be willing to negotiate. Formula 1 is concerned that the old owner Dmitry Mazepin may still be behind the Kazakh backers. If there is even the slightest suspicion that Russian money might be involved, the FIA would also have to pull the plug.

Andretti is a hot potato

Andretti, on the other hand, is a hot potato for Formula 1. Especially since Andretti can also call on General Motors as a partner. Very good reasons will have to be found to reject such an emotionally charged project. It could easily backfire, because Andretti and General Motors are big names in the U.S. and you don't just throw the door in their face.

It is possible that Michael Andretti's plan will provide Formula 1 with the necessary arguments. One hears that he wants to base the majority of the team in the U.S. and is reportedly eyeing an entry as early as 2025. The result would be that Andretti, as a new team, would have to build two cars under completely different regulations within two years.

Formula 1 can veto the new teams, but it cannot block them. The final say on licensing rests with the FIA. But even if Andretti gets a license, he still hasn't won. He would then be allowed to race, but would not yet be part of the Concorde Agreement and thus not entitled to collect starting and prize money. For that, he needs Liberty's approval.
 
Liquid
Backing the FIA seems instinctively incorrect but the F1 teams are so in the wrong on this.
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I personally think it really showcases the sorry state of affairs if I'm sitting here siding with the FIA on something F1-related over the teams.
 
NotThePrez
I personally think it really showcases the sorry state of affairs if I'm sitting here siding with the FIA on something F1-related over the teams.
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I'll bet the drivers also would like to see more teams – more chances to stay at their perceived "top level" – but they don't get a vote in this concern. Fans and the press will like it too, though there's always a few contrarians that think it's going to water things down. Yet most fans look back fondly on the pre-qualifying days; there was so much action going on with teams trying all sorts of new and weird stuff, or at least pulling off some minor miracles.

The irony is that even if 3 teams get through the hurdle, maybe one of them will be successful enough to challenge for consistent points finishes after the second season, unless too many existing teams lay an egg at the same time. At least two of the existing teams are "junior teams" and shouldn't get to overturn the FIA's decision; after all, they're mostly there to bolster the grid.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of these prospective 2026 entries is going back out early, since nobody knows what's going to happen to future economic situations, and plummeting fortunes into the black hole of F1 isn't wise if their star was a red giant to begin with. That will leave an large garage parking spot open for purchase; it's amazing some team hasn't quite folded up since late-2014.

If the new teams aren't quite up to snuff, it's hard to force them out solely with the 107% rule, as there's different qualifying standards throughout the session. Sure, it's a tight fit at Monaco but Grade 1 facilities will have the room because they can hold much larger support grids. Though I suppose F4 teams don't have six transporters to create their own media centers and enough catering to feed five thousand people.
 
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Pupik
If the new teams aren't quite up to snuff, it's hard to force them out solely with the 107% rule, as there's different qualifying standards throughout the session. Sure, it's a tight fit at Monaco but Grade 1 facilities will have the room because they can hold much larger support grids. Though I suppose F4 teams don't have six transporters to create their own media centers and enough catering to feed five thousand people.
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I think it's only been 7 or 8 seasons since we last had more than 10 teams on the grid. Surely circuit infrastructure hasn't changed much since then?
 
It's hilarious but I'm sure I have seen a full racing series grid of 30 cars in one of the Wing garages at Silverstone. It's almost like you could fit half a day's worth of racing cars in the garages if you really tried.
 
Jimlaad43
It's hilarious but I'm sure I have seen a full racing series grid of 30 cars in one of the Wing garages at Silverstone. It's almost like you could fit half a day's worth of racing cars in the garages if you really tried.
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Well there was certainly enough space for the Apex team at Silverstone. I believe they'll be occupying garages at other races between now and the end of the season too.
 
There’s a fiasco brewing: Alpha Tauri is expected to be rebranded ‘Hugo Boss Bulls Racing’ which is a mouthful.

But the more interesting part it’s next years car is expected to be this years Red Bull. I’m interested to see how that works with the cost cap (it’ll probably be ignored entirely).
 
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Amazingly, all ten teams were in compliance with the cost cap for 2022.

Every team met spending rules last season - FIA

Governing body the FIA confirms all 10 Formula 1 teams complied with the sport's cost cap in 2022.
www.bbc.co.uk

It's interesting, as all the teams would have only found out if they had been doing anything wrong - and what - for 2021 at this time last year, making it very difficult to change practices for 2022 to ensure compliance.

But it seems like, despite the rumours of one team overspending, there's been no registered breach requiring further investigation...
 

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