Decision on 11th F1 team expected in September – Domenicali

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In the round-up: F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says he expects that a decision on any new team being granted the ability to join Formula 1 will come in September

In brief

Decision on 11th F1 team expected in September – Domenicali

After the FIA opened a formal process for applicants to join Formula 1 as new teams for either 2025 or 2026, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says that the decision on if any applicants have been successful will likely come next month.

“The FIA started the process as it is in their ability,” Domenicali said during Liberty Media’s investors yesterday. “We’re waiting for the final conclusions.

“But, as always in this discussion, we will find agreement together because, as you said, the value of the teams and the value of the business today is very, very strong. So that decision, that information will come very, very soon. I would say within the month of September.”

Palou, Herta both ready for F1 – Andretti

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Michael Andretti believes that IndyCar drivers Alex Palou and Colton Herta are both capable of racing in Formula 1.

Andretti is pursuing an entry for his family-owned racing outfit to join F1 as its 11th team for 2026. He says that both IndyCar drivers have the ability to race successfully in F1.

“I have no doubt whatsoever that Alex or Colton are ready for Formula 1,” Andretti told Speed Week. They are highly talented. I would put both of them in a Formula 1 car immediately. They can definitely keep up there. Lando (Norris) was once Colton’s teammate, and they were performing at the same level. If you look at Lando in Formula 1 now, you know what Colton could also achieve.”

Vowles expects Monza to be one of Williams’ best races

Williams team principal James Vowles expects Williams to have mixed performance across the final two European rounds following the summer break at Zandvoort and Monza.

“I think the Netherlands [Zandvoort] will be a track that doesn’t suit us and I think we have to do everything within our power to get the car as high as possible, but expect it’s going to be difficult to score points there,” he explained.

“Conversely Monza, I think, could be one of the best races for us of the season so far. So we need to put the effort into making sure we prepare correctly for that event. It’s an ATA event again, which in itself brings its own complications and there’s still more work that we can do to optimise how we’re using cars and how we go through the qualifying process during that Monza weekend so there’ll be more focus on that as a result of the different format change.

“But both of them, again, provide an opportunity for us to really make sure we get everything right and walk away with points if they’re available to us.”

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Social media

Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:

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Comment of the day

IndyCar have confirmed that next year’s season finale will take place at a revised street circuit in Nashville, but @eurobrun isn’t impressed…

Not a fan of that. Assuming that the championship will go down to the final race, I would prefer a traditional road course to round out the year. Street courses are great, but always more susceptible to six-plus full course cautions that make it more of a lottery. That’s fine mid-season, but not for a decider.

Hopefully this year’s race in Nashville is less ridiculous than last year.
Euro Brun

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Katy, Paul Gawne and Pamela Mclaren!

On this day in motorsport

  • On this day in 1973 Jackie Stewart scored his final F1 victory, in the German Grand Prix on the Nurburgring Nordschleife

Author information

Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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41 comments on “Decision on 11th F1 team expected in September – Domenicali”

  1. Profile Photo

    Leroy (@g-funk)
    5th August 2023, 0:51

    If there’s an 11th team, it will likely be Andretti after Calvin Lo was outed by Forbes as greatly exaggerating his worth.

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertolsen/2023/07/26/desperately-faking-riches-inside-a-hong-kong-businessmans-outlandish-efforts-to-get-on-the-forbes-billionaire-list/

    1. Mooa42
      5th August 2023, 3:28

      Amazing the lengths some people go to, suspected worth of $3.6 million yet claiming billionaire status, seriously delusional. Sort of guy I would expect HAAS to hook up with.

      I would love to see a similar article on Trump, I’m sure he’s worth more than $3.6 million but also suspect it’s not billions.

      1. Jay
        5th August 2023, 4:29

        What does Trump have to do with Formula 1?

        Although Trump would fit in right at home in F1. And he wouldn’t even have the biggest ego either!

        1. Dex
          5th August 2023, 8:04

          God, Trump owning a team (going the similar route like Stroll, buying and reshaping Alpine or something) and Musk owning Liberty, tweaking the rules, names and logos of everything. That would be fun. And why not Biden as a head of FIA or something, to balance the energy so to speak. Now that would be a real American F1 with character, not this slow going drama.

          1. Profile Photo

            MarcusAurelius (@marcusaurelius)
            5th August 2023, 8:21

            Let me tell you something. Nobody knows more about Formula 1 than Trump.

          2. Coventry Climax
            5th August 2023, 11:55

            Biggest audience ever!

          3. Profile Photo

            Rhys Lloyd (@justrhysism)
            7th August 2023, 4:58

            @marcusaurelius Ohhhhhhh that made me chuckle 🤭

        2. Jim
          5th August 2023, 18:17

          Trump would do what he did with his casino … wiggle out of paying people for work completed. In F1 he’d face actual consequences.

      2. Coventry Climax
        5th August 2023, 11:54

        Being worth it and having it on an account is not the same thing.
        As far as I’m concerned, Trump isn’t worth one penny. No matter the amount on his accounts.

    2. Profile Photo

      SteveR (@stever)
      5th August 2023, 22:15

      Excellent and entertaining read, thanks for posting that! I hope the FIA has seen it……

  2. Profile Photo

    GT Racer (@gt-racer)
    5th August 2023, 2:34

    The current feeling seems to be that the FIA will find that Andretti & at least 1 of the other applicants as having a viable entry that meets there requirements but that ultimately no new entry will be accepted by Liberty regardless of how viable the entries are deemed to be.

    1. Gusm.ai
      5th August 2023, 15:53

      FIA would accept a entry from a US manufacturer. They surely dont want another Haas – that clearly has connections to autoracing but doesnt properly count as an American team. I think they are saving the entry for a truly competitive entry. I mean, someone with deep pockets to have a winning car in 5 years or at least to perform better than a Renault/Alpine. Otherwise, they would call again to some German manufacturer. So, it is either a GM-back Cadillac Andretti team or they keep the current 10 teams.

  3. Profile Photo

    Nitin Patel (@nitin24)
    5th August 2023, 4:11

    I have been following Herta since he was driving in Indy Lights. No doubt he’s talented, but I haven’t been impressed with his consistency in INDYCAR.

    1. Jay
      5th August 2023, 4:39

      Every time his name is brought up for a Formula 1 seat I check his racing results. Completely underwhelming, especially matched up against Alex Palou’s results. Josef Newgarden has way better results, if nationality is the main factor. But he’s 32, way too old to be starting an F1 career.

      1. Profile Photo

        Mark Zastrow (@markzastrow)
        5th August 2023, 4:54

        I too rate Palou more highly than Herta, but Herta’s results are heavily skewed by Andretti’s lack of competitiveness on ovals, particularly when Indy has been double points. If superlicence points were awarded based on results only on road or street courses, Herta would have had his by now.

        1. Profile Photo

          uzsjgb (@uzsjgb)
          5th August 2023, 9:05

          Doing better on ovals is the path to Formula One. How weird.

          I am not a fan of the superlicence points rules. If you are an excellent driver stuck in an underperforming team you will not make it to Formula One. If you are a mediocre driver lucky enough to be in an overperforming team (or paying to be there) or if you luck into some freak wins, you will make it to Formula One. Flat tires or mechanical defects can stop an excellent driver from reaching Formula One. A mediocre driver profiting from an excellent driver’s flat tires or mechanical defects will make it to Formula One.

          1. S
            5th August 2023, 9:44

            Sounds just like the rest of life, doesn’t it…
            Motorsport runs to the same type of meritocracy as everything else.

      2. Profile Photo

        uzsjgb (@uzsjgb)
        5th August 2023, 8:58

        I constantly check Alonso’s racing results. Completely underwhelming, the guy hasn’t won anything in years. Same goes for Lewis Hamilton, hasn’t won in years. Time for them to make room for some younger winners.

        Don’t judge a driver by their results. Judge them by their driving.

        1. Miane
          5th August 2023, 10:17

          Some data of Norris alongside a “teammate”.
          1. Both at the same team.
          2. Almost the same Formula experience.
          3. Both in a new car. (No previous car experience).

          Qualy average:
          Norris – 5.33 (7 times ahead)
          Driver B – 5.41 \- (5 times ahead)

          Race average finishing position:
          Norris – 4.86
          Driver B – 6

          But I’m not talking about Colton Herta but Sette Camara in F2. The standings are a bit misleading (DSQ for fuel, DNF with blown engine, broken wrist in Monaco,etc) but he was almost as good as Norris and no one talked about that (Norris did talked about how good he was to be fair).

          And Andretti is talking about a weak F4 season in 2015 to measure how good Herta is. That’s a joke.

          1. Profile Photo

            Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
            5th August 2023, 23:24

            Andretti was once Senna’s teammate…

  4. Profile Photo

    Jere (@jerejj)
    5th August 2023, 4:30

    Herta might be ready mentally, but secondary as long as he doesn’t reach SL eligibility.

  5. S
    5th August 2023, 7:24

    Can’t wait for the FIA to accept some new entrants and then say: “Righto Liberty, we’ve done our bit as per the rules. Now let’s see how your marketing skills go – looking good and making money are your responsibilities.”
    Liberty and the existing teams commercially blocking the new entrants would be quite a show, and I’m looking forward to F1’s image plummeting as a direct result. Not exactly what anyone involved really wants….

    1. Profile Photo

      bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
      5th August 2023, 8:23

      Sadly I suspect this is how it will go. Somebody needs to stress to the teams that there will be a day after tomorrow. The sports long term health is certainly improved by an 11th team. And that sports health is why they’re in a strong position today.

    2. MichaelN
      5th August 2023, 12:06

      The only thing they really want is money. And it’s usually better to spread it around a bit more than to invite external investigations.

      The threat of a court case was enough for Liberty to make big changes to the pay-out structure a few years ago. So unfortunately the case never materialized, but the Formula One Group is still long overdue some proper scrutiny under EU Competition Law.

    3. Coventry Climax
      5th August 2023, 12:06

      Would love to see that, but it would require the FIA to grow a pair more quickly than biologically possible.

      ..the decision on if any applicants have been successful..

      That likely says about all doesn’t it? It’s not about which team(s), it’s about if any at all.

      1. S
        5th August 2023, 13:08

        I think under the new boss, the FIA has ‘grown a pair’ now. Much more so than the previous president, at least.
        It’s actually quite nice to have an FIA leader that hasn’t been in an F1 team.
        The same was true last time new teams were invited in to F1, too… What a coincidence – or not.

        It’s not about which team(s), it’s about if any at all.

        I don’t think it is. I think (at least, but likely only) one team will be formally approved by the FIA, and it will then be entirely on Liberty to decide what to do with that.
        As the new team/s would be meeting all the FIA’s requirements, it only leaves the $200m anti-competition fee as Liberty’s stronghold. And if the new team/s can pay that, there is little means for the existing teams or Liberty to prevent them from participating.
        And would they seriously dare to try? F1 teams and F1’s commercial rights holder are marketing businesses, after all. Public image is everything. Everything.

        1. MichaelN
          5th August 2023, 16:02

          I think under the new boss, the FIA has ‘grown a pair’ now. Much more so than the previous president, at least.

          The largely England-based F1 media underestimates both the support Ben Sulayem has among Member Organizations and, arguably, also his extensive experience in motorsport (including the FIA itself). Expanding motorsport participation, increasing FIA revenue, and empowering both the FIA and local/regional members has been part of his team’s platform from day 1.

        2. anon
          6th August 2023, 11:32

          S, they could also raise some quite legitimate questions about whether the plans for the wider expansion of the Andretti Motorsport group could create risks that technically don’t form part of the FIA’s remit.

          Asides from Formula 1, Michael wants to simultaneously expand into Formula 2 and Formula 3 and found his own driver training school, expand into the NASCAR Cup series and build multiple new factories, all of which is meant to take place within a couple of years. It’s led some in the US motorsport community to start asking if Michael is trying to expand his team too rapidly and risks overstretching his resources.

          Added to that, there are now questions about whether the facility in Indiana will be completed on schedule, as the Andretti’s are currently being sued by the original design and build contractor for that project over breach of contract. It is reported that construction on that facility has been on hold since May, which is when the court case began – given that factory was a key part of Michael’s expansion plans for all of his motorsport activities, including F1, the lawsuit is not going to help.

          1. S
            6th August 2023, 13:36

            S, they could also raise some quite legitimate questions about whether the plans for the wider expansion of the Andretti Motorsport group could create risks that technically don’t form part of the FIA’s remit.

            I would contend that those concerns would not be legitimate at all, as they provide no risk of any kind to anyone outside of Andretti Autosport.

            Asides from Formula 1, Michael wants to simultaneously expand into Formula 2 and Formula 3 and found his own driver training school, expand into the NASCAR Cup series and build multiple new factories

            Yeah, all those things are really terrible, right….

            As to their facilities – so? Apart from those legal issues being completely irrelevant to anything here, Andretti has already stated that their first F1 cars will be produced in Europe anyway, regardless of the status of their new US facility. They aren’t building it for F1, they are building it to run multiple race operations.

  6. Profile Photo

    GT Racer (@gt-racer)
    5th August 2023, 13:41

    Was just told that over the Spa weekend during a meeting between Liberty & the team bosses the idea was put forward from the Liberty side of introducing a Balance of Performance to F1.

    It wasn’t an idea that was shot down by every team.

    1. MichaelN
      5th August 2023, 16:16

      It’s the natural end point for motorsport with manufacturer-involvement in a world where automotive technology has matured above and beyond its sporting application. There are very few parts on an F1 car that haven’t been superseded by better technologies in road cars – and not just in a premium segment. The more this goes on, the more aerodynamics becomes the only real performance-related selling point of an F1 car. And to manufacturers of road cars, that’s a very poor selling point indeed.

      Series where manufacturers can do their ‘racing pedigree’ marketing while keeping costs down and performances competitive thanks to EoT or BoP are a much better way to go racing than spending dozens of millions on creating the world’s most clever gurney flap or venturi tunnel. Which nobody can see on TV and only a few people would understand anyway.

      I wouldn’t be surprised to see some shorter sportscar races introduced into the upcoming IMSA and WEC calendars to capitalize on the enormous manufacturer interest in their current shared platform. Six+ hour races just aren’t a great TV product.

    2. Alan Dove
      5th August 2023, 18:43

      If that’s true that’s a game over moment.

      1. S
        6th August 2023, 6:55

        Many would argue that it’s actually a long overdue game on moment.

        1. Coventry Climax
          6th August 2023, 16:00

          I don’t give a hoot about who argues what, but I’d be out of here. Instantly.

          I’ll beat you to it: Some will say: ‘Good riddance’. I don’t care about that either. It’s the sports and technology race I’m interested in, not the opinion of other fans.

          1. S
            7th August 2023, 1:11

            And yet here you are, almost every day, giving your opinion to other fans…
            And you know full well what F1 is now – why are you still watching it?

          2. Coventry Climax
            7th August 2023, 12:13

            This message is way down the order, so I don’t know whether you’ll still read this, but I’ll explain nonetheless:

            I absolutely love polar bears. Unfortunately, it looks like they’re going extinct. Your solution, which you are, like any dictator, happy to make for me, is that I stop loving my favourite animal.
            Mine is that I try to make my vision clear in the -I know, in all likeliness vain- hope to get at least some people agree with me, out of their own free will, and maybe preserve some of the bears.

            My polar bear love here is hypothetical, but the example serves its purpose.

          3. S
            7th August 2023, 13:26

            You should have chosen the Dodo for your analogy instead of the Polar Bear.
            The F1 you keep referring to exists only in the past tense.
            It doesn’t matter how much support you can muster for your beloved animal, it simply isn’t coming back.

            Am I a dictator? I wish….
            I’m not the one deciding F1’s present or future – nor do I necessarily support the changes that have been made. But I do understand why those changes have been made, and also that they won’t ever be undone. F1 is never going back to where it came from.
            Even when it was there, it was only passing through, anyway.

          4. Coventry Climax
            7th August 2023, 13:57

            The dodo or the polar bear does make a difference.
            F1 isn’t dead just yet, but for me, it’s heading that direction quickly. A direction you apparently approve of, where I do not.
            I’ve said it before, I’m not against change at all. In fact I’m all for it, for some things clearly aren’t right in my opinion. Instead of opinion, I could bloat headedly (is that english?) call that a necessity, an understanding why things need to change, just like you do, but what you say you recognise as a necessity, the why, is actually nothing more but just an opinion too.
            So the only difference is in the direction of those changes, and that I’m not happy with that, but you ‘understand’.

            That’s fine, but what is not, is you telling me to quit because I’m not of your opinion.

            They ‘I wish’, after ‘Am I a dictator?’, says it all. I would never wish to be one, you apparently sort of aspire to.
            It’s not about being a dictator though, it’s about you, making decisions for someone else, me in this case.
            I may very well throw in the towel at some time, but not -ever- just because you say so.

          5. S
            7th August 2023, 16:45

            Nowhere have I told you what to do or think – I’ve simply informed you that F1 isn’t listening, and wouldn’t care even if they had been.
            Nor have I said that I support F1’s direction. Some things are positives for me, some things are negatives – and it’s totally true that F1 has always had positives and negatives for me and every other person who has ever seen it – and always will.

            And what did I say I wanted to be a dictator of? I don’t think I did, did I…
            Who says it has to involve anyone or anything other than my own personal time and space?

            You’re jumping to so many conclusions and painting everything I’ve said with your own brush. My words are not what you are responding to.

          6. Coventry Climax
            7th August 2023, 17:03

            And you know full well what F1 is now – why are you still watching it?

            That’s what I’m answering to, and you know it.

            This is my last reply here.

          7. S
            8th August 2023, 14:39

            So you admit that I didn’t tell you to stop watching F1 – and even provided the quote where I simply asked you why you still watch F1….

Comments are closed.