F1 2023

[Clarke B]

Quick question The Pilgrim....why are the teams opposed to it ? It can't be purely down to money....Andretti in particular is very successful, are they worried he will rock the boat ? The more teams the better I say. As long as it's done properly, not like in 2009 with the three new teams way off the pace.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

Quick question The Pilgrim....why are the teams opposed to it ? It can't be purely down to money....Andretti in particular is very successful, are they worried he will rock the boat ? The more teams the better I say. As long as it's done properly, not like in 2009 with the three new teams way off the pace.

It's the same pot of money divided more ways, and more teams squabbling over the 10 points-paying places.

 

[Argylegames]

Surprised Hamilton has been signed on again by Merc. He's obviously lost it. The latest version of Graham Hill, driving round not winning but getting the big dosh.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

Surprised Hamilton has been signed on again by Merc. He's obviously lost it. The latest version of Graham Hill, driving round not winning but getting the big dosh.

Not this again. Any evidence to back this up?

 

[The Pilgrim]

It's the same pot of money divided more ways, and more teams squabbling over the 10 points-paying places.

This and the teams are arguing that they supported F1 when things were tight in the last few years through covid and they don't want new teams jumping on the bandwagon and taking a slice of their pie now the sport is booming.

The teams need to look at the bigger picture, there aren't enough spaces on the grid now and if a team was to leave we'd be down to 18 cars which really isn't enough. A new team joining HAS to pay an entry fee of $200m which is divided between the teams to subsidise any losses they may make. The teams want this raised to $600m as they are saying that the $200m fee was agreed years ago and the bigger fee is now a more accurate representation but that kind of number almost makes F1 a closed shop (probably what they want).

Personally I don't see how they can possibly refuse someone like Andretti who will have a huge fan base in America and who are bringing GM onboard as well. Hitech, the other likely new team, have a huge history in junior formula. These teams would be nothing like the last batch of teams that came in went in a few seasons back in 2010. Doesn't really seem right that the teams have a vote on the matter, the FIA should have the only say on if a new team can join or not.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

This and the teams are arguing that they supported F1 when things were tight in the last few years through covid and they don't want new teams jumping on the bandwagon and taking a slice of their pie now the sport is booming.

The teams need to look at the bigger picture, there aren't enough spaces on the grid now and if a team was to leave we'd be down to 18 cars which really isn't enough. A new team joining HAS to pay an entry fee of $200m which is divided between the teams to subsidise any losses they may make. The teams want this raised to $600m as they are saying that the $200m fee was agreed years ago and the bigger fee is now a more accurate representation but that kind of number almost makes F1 a closed shop (probably what they want).

Personally I don't see how they can possibly refuse someone like Andretti who will have a huge fan base in America and who are bringing GM onboard as well. Hitech, the other likely new team, have a huge history in junior formula. These teams would be nothing like the last batch of teams that came in went in a few seasons back in 2010. Doesn't really seem right that the teams have a vote on the matter, the FIA should have the only say on if a new team can join or not.

That point about the calibre of the new entrants is the key one for me. We all remember the late 80s/early 90s when there were all those no-hoper teams (Andrea Moda anyone?) who just wasted resources and got in the way, but these days when there's barely 1.5 seconds between pole and P20 sometimes, it's less of a concern. The days when the leaders routinely lapped the field are long gone.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

What a brilliant race that was. I love this sport sometimes.

 

[daront]

Great race i enjoyed it. Will be interesting to see how RB do at the next race. I know this race they said they would struggle but the conspiracy people are out in force about the new TD affecting red bull more.
Congrats to carlo but i would have loved a british top three. George pressured into a mistake.
Roll on Japan.

 

[Quinny]

There is a serious argument brewing behind the scenes though. Andretti and Hitech are set to be approved to join as new teams by the FIA but the F1 teams are rumoured to be set to block it because even though the concord agreement they all signed says they can have 13 teams they want to keep it at 10.

FIA given their rubber-stamp: now for F1 to make a decision.

Andretti's bid to enter Formula 1 with Cadillac approved by FIA

The US-based Andretti team's bid to enter Formula 1 with General Motors' Cadillac brand is approved by motorsport's governing body, the FIA.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

I really hope this comes to fruition. Ten teams never seems like enough, personally.

 

[The Pilgrim]

12 seems like the sweet spot figure for me but I'd more than happily take an 11th. I can see this getting very messy if they get turned down purely on commercial reasons. The FIA have said Andretti are good to go, it would be a really bad look for F1 to turn them down.

 

[Quinny]

I don't think it's at all right that the teams can decide who should and shouldn't be on the starting grid. If it's all about money, then I'm sure a GM backed team would bring in more than enough sponsorship. Probably more than some of the "smaller" of the ten current teams.

I'd reckon they'd be more competitive come race-day than some of those smaller teams too.

 

[The Pilgrim]

I don't think it's at all right that the teams can decide who should and shouldn't be on the starting grid. If it's all about money, then I'm sure a GM backed team would bring in more than enough sponsorship. Probably more than some of the "smaller" of the ten current teams.

I'd reckon they'd be more competitive come race-day than some of those smaller teams too.

I think I've only heard Mclaren (Zak Brown is friends with the Andretti's) and Alpine (linking up with Andretti) in favour of them joining.

You'd imagine Haas will be massively opposed to them because of the American market. Merc (and therefore Williams), Ferrari (and Alfa R) and Red Bull (so Alpha T too) will all be worried that with GM backing Andretti could come in and pull up trees.

This is about as close to turkeys voting for christmas as you can get. I think Andretti will go down the legal route if they get turned down though. They've ticked every box, they should be let in.

 

[The Pilgrim]

Karun Chandok (who normally knows his stuff with this kind of thing) tweeted that Andretti joining will mean each team loses £11m a year from the annual rights payment. I'd imagine they'll add more than that with what they'll bring to the party though.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

It's frustrating given how long the Andretti family has been associated with F1, and how much they've given to motorsport more broadly over the decades. It would be so myopic for the sport to pass this up, particularly given how keen it is to host races in the US (two of which are held at dreadful tracks with extortionate ticket prices).