Although Michael Andretti has a lot of support among the Formula 1 community, those in charge are against allowing his arrival in the premier class. Stefano Domenicali has been the last to confirm that the American will have it really complicated.
The Formula 1 he has had to work hard to turn the championship into a profitable and reliable business. This has been possible mainly thanks to the new approach adopted by Liberty Media, which since acquiring the commercial rights to F1 has radically changed the management model.
But this security also has drawbacks. As if one of the historic motorsports is attracted to her and, nevertheless, has almost impossible to get permission to participate.
«The teams have invested in us, and that is why we believe that the community must be respected»
It is the case of Michael Andretti, who wants to complete the circle and build a team in the last category that resists his organization, Andretti Global. The former driver has strong backgrounds in IndyCar, Indy Lights, Formula E, Extreme E, Australian Supercars and IMSA, so his credibility is more than proven.
However, Formula 1 does not want any risk because it claims to have found the perfect balance.
“It is the first time that all F1 teams have no financial problems”, says Stefano Domenicali when asked about Andretti’s intentions. “They are very solid, it is a great reward for them. They have invested in us, and that is why we believe that the community of the teams must be respected.
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“Today it is not a problem to have more teams, because we have a list. Some of them are more expressive than others, but we have a lot of people or a lot of investors who would like to be in Formula 1»continues the president of Formula 1.
“We need to protect the teams. This is really another sign of a very healthy system. I think we have the right number right now. Y if someone wants to get in, it has to be really significant»says the Italian leader.
200 million is not enough
What Stefano Domenicali What he really means is that the entrance fee that every team must pay may not be enough to compensate for having to share the income with one more team.
And it is that, with the aim of protecting the income of existing teams, Formula 1 imposes a payment of 200 million dollars to all that team that wants to enter the category. But as F1 continues to grow commercially and the value of the teams increases, questions have been raised as to whether this one-time payment is enough to offset the dilution of the prize money fund.
And with Audi and Porsche wanting to enter Formula 1, many fear that it is the type of contribution that Domenicali refers to, that of the manufacturers. That is, large companies that not only participate, but also provide engines and an image that private teams cannot provide.
In any case, both brands will only enter the category if they are previously associated with an existing team, not creating a team from scratch as Michael Andretti intends. In this way, everyone in Formula 1 wins, because they receive without losing anything in return. It is not the case of Andretti, who unfortunately seems to have it very difficult to fulfill his dream.
Font: motorsport.com