FIA president: “Why do Andretti need the F1 teams’ support? I don’t understand”

The US team’s wish to enter the series alongside General Motors and Cadillac has been granted by the FIA but now rests in the hands of the Formula One Management (FOM), which includes the current 10 teams.

Many existing team bosses have been vocal in questioning the sense of Andretti joining.

“Let’s ask ourselves a question,” Ben Sulayem said to Speedcafe. 

“Why do Michael Andretti and [General Motors] need the teams’ support? I don’t understand. 

“Do they have any say in the admission?”

Asked if feedback from the current 10 F1 teams is therefore “irrelevant”, Ben Sulayem replied: “To this, yes.

“In the sport, they are an element, and everybody has the right to express their feeling toward it, but how can you refuse GM? 

“I don’t understand. Just why?

“The FIA has the right on the sporting side; FOM has the money side, but will FOM refuse? 

“We are talking about the biggest manufacturer in the United States working with one of the biggest companies, Liberty Media, and if they don’t see it…

“If we’re talking about business, this is good for business.”

The current Concorde Agreement has a provision to allow up to 12 teams onto the grid.

A major talking point regarding Andretti’s wish to join is how the revenue would be split. Existing teams have voiced concerns that their share would be diluted by the addition of an extra team.

“What I’ve heard from the legal side is that they can say no to the financial,” Ben Sulayem said.

“But the licence belongs to the FIA, so they would be running, but without getting any money, and I don’t think that would happen.

“For me, I am optimistic [the FOM] will not say no, but anything can happen. 

“I just hope they don’t say no because it is so good for business, so good to sustain motorsport.”