FIA chief opens door for new teams to join Formula 1

F1 is growing in popularity worldwide and that growth has triggered interest from afar to join the current 10-team grid

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is looking into the prospect of increasing the number of teams in Formula 1 beyond the current tally of 10.

F1 is growing in popularity worldwide as illustrated by a record 24-race calendar this year and that growth has triggered interest from afar to join the current 10-team grid.

And Ben Sulayem, who took over as FIA boss at the beginning of last year, has opened the door for interested parties to reveal their interest.

The 61-year-old tweeted on Monday: “I have asked my FIA team to look at launching an Expressions of Interest process for prospective new teams for the FIA F1 World Championship.”

The news will give hope to prospective entries such as Andretti Global – headed by 1978 world champion Mario Andretti and son Michael – and billionaire businessman Calvin Lo.

F1 has had 10 teams on the grid since the 2015 season and the latest Concorde Agreement, signed by the current 10 teams in 2020, includes a $200m anti-dilution fund that would need to be paid as a minimum by any new entrant.

Ben Sulayem’s tweet came with no further detail on the specifics of the process, nor an official FIA press release on the matter.

Audi have announced their entry into Formula 1 from 2026 when new regulations come into force, though they are effectively taking the place of Sauber/Alfa Romeo on the grid.

Porsche were similarly looking into a deal with current world champions Red Bull but talks broke down last summer.

The 2023 season, which currently has a mid-April slot to fill as a result of the Chinese Grand Prix’s cancellation, starts in Bahrain on March 5.