Formula 1 is ready to enter talks with a potential new team, but asserts that any addition must bring financial and sporting value to the grid.
The sport has operated with 10 teams since the 2017 season, but a decade ago and prior to the start of the current turbo-hybrid era, there were as many as 12 teams present.
Manor and Caterham have since dropped from the field, while Haas joined in 2016 – however since then, there has been no new injections to the grid.
Michael Andretti, who runs the successful Andretti Autosport team in IndyCar, is pushing to form his own F1 outfit in the coming years.
The series’ boom in popularity has sparked interest from major manufacturers, with Audi entering the sport in 2026 as a Power Unit supplier and works organisation, taking over the Sauber-run team.
A number of already established outfits have been vocal over their opposition to a new team on the grid, due to fear of the end-of-year prize fund being diluted.
But Domenicali says that the sport is in a position to enter discussions with a new outfit.
“With regard to the value or process related to the possibility of an F1 team to be [introduced] into the championship, of course that is the primary step both us and the FIA have to be in agreement for that,” Domenicali said.
“I think the first thing we need to consider is [whether] this eventual possibility will bring extra value to the championship.
“If so, of course, we will discuss it internally. We will see if it is any kind of real potential [for a new] new entry [to] give the benefit for the value of the championship.
“On top of it, there is a value that has to be recognised to the teams that are already in the championship, because of course they cannot allow any dilution of their financial partnership with the F1 Championship.
“This is what is written in the Concorde Agreement. But mainly, the point is that eventually a new entry will bring a better position for the F1 Championship.
“This is really an integral value in terms of value from the financial point of view and in terms of value from the sporting point of view.
“It is not a problem to do, I think, one more team to have better racing. Therefore, we will see – we will monitor the situation. It would be a real credible new entry that wants to discuss with us. We are ready to discuss, but we are not in a rushed position today for that.”
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