F1, not FIA, will make Andretti call – Domenicali

Oct.20 (GMM) Formula 1 rights holder Liberty Media will make the final call about whether Andretti-Cadillac will be permitted onto the grid.

That is the insistence of the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali, amid a power struggle with the governing FIA amid president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s desire for an eleventh team as soon as 2025.

Ben Sulayem is quoted by Kronen Zeitung newspaper as saying: “Let’s not play games – it’s about money.”

The FIA boss was speaking after the latest World Motor Sport Council meeting in Geneva on Thursday, where he thanked members of the body for green-lighting the Andretti bid.

“We firmly believe we are doing what is best for the long-term sustainability of the sport,” said Ben Sulayem.

But in the very same media statement, Domenicali made clear that Liberty-owned Formula One Management will make the final call following commercial talks that are taking place now.

“We note the points made regarding the FIA’s new team entry process and as we have said before, we will now make our own assessment of the merits of the remaining application,” said the Italian.

Many of the existing ten teams remain opposed to expanding the grid – including Haas, who would lose their status as the only American team in F1.

“In 2020 we fought for survival,” said team boss Gunther Steiner. “If you allow more teams, the risk is greater that we fail when things go wrong.”