Formula 1 Management has damped speculation that one or more new teams could join the championship after a second potential entrant revealed its plans.
Earlier today Salvatore Gandolfo, CEO and a co-founder of Formula 2 team Campos, issued a statement announcing his intention to enter a new team in 2021. Gandolfo claimed he had spoken to F1 CEO Chase Carey and motorsport director Ross Brawn on at least three occasions.As RaceFans has reported previously another potential new team, Panthera Team Asia F1, has declared its interest in entering the championship in 2021.
However a statement issued this evening by F1 cast doubt on whether any of the possible new entries would be admitted into the championship.
“Following publicity in recent days from several entities that have indicated their ambition to participate in the FIA Formula One World Championship from 2021, while Formula 1 appreciates their interest, we can confirm that there are no serious discussions with any persons or companies about the admission of a new team,” said the statement from Formula 1.
Previously new entries into the championship have been subject to the approval of the FIA rather than Formula 1 Management. This was the case when the most recent new entrant, Haas, was approved five years ago.
A Campos spokesperson told RaceFans it expects to learn from the FIA at the end of this month which teams have been accepted into the championship in 2021.
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Jimmi Cynic (@jimmi-cynic)
3rd October 2019, 21:11
As well, F1 fans expect to learn from the FIA at the end of the month if there will be a new championship in 2021. Or another in-veto’d rehash of the current out-of-touch-aristocracy-based format.
DAllein (@)
4th October 2019, 7:02
Now that is way more likely.
I wonder WHY F1 Management had to make such a statement.
It is not that they should particularly care about PR stunts of random people…
ian dearing
4th October 2019, 12:54
They have to care about PR stunts now they are listed on the stock exchange. Particularly rumours that could affect the price, but are not true.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
4th October 2019, 10:19
No real surprise. No one would commit to joining until the new regulations are fully revealed.
Shimks (@shimks)
4th October 2019, 13:36
This is all very odd. It sounds like Gandolfo is making things up which would be bizarre if his intentions were to get on the good side of Carey, Brawn and Co. Somehow I don’t believe we are hearing the real story yet.
ADUB SMALLBLOCK (@waptraveler)
4th October 2019, 14:19
Perhaps there have been discussions, but not to the level of detail (financial, resources, facilities, people, etc) that raise these discussions to the level of “serious”.