Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur asserts that Andretti must demonstrate its “added value” to Formula 1 beyond being a prospective American entry to secure a place on the grid.
Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, the FIA formally announced that it had finally approved Andretti Formula Racing’s proposal to join F1 as early as the 2025 season.
However, Michael Andretti’s eponymous team must negotiate terms with Formula One Management before it is given the green light to become the series’ latest addition.
Since the FIA opened up an Expression of Interest process back in February, forthcoming applicants have been met with stern resistance by the 10 current teams, who have all alleviated concern over the end-of-season prize pot becoming diluted with an extra name introduced to the fold.
After Williams chief James Vowles declared F1 shouldn’t welcome an 11th team until the existing sides are all “financially stable”, Vasseur believes the landscape has changed since the previous Concorde Agreement opened the door for grid expansion.
“It’s not a secret that I’m not a big fan,” Vasseur said in Qatar following the news that Andretti had been accepted by the FIA.
“That when we opened the door to an 11th team in the Concorde Agreement last time, it was for good reason, that at this stage Honda said already that they would leave F1 and Renault was on the edge. It mean that we had only Mercedes and Ferrari confirmed for the future.
“And we opened the door to an 11th team in case of they could bring something substantial to the F1 – and I think at this stage that was mainly the engine.”
“As James said before, all the teams on the grid they made a big effort… We have to keep in mind that three or four years ago we had almost half of the grid quite close to the bankruptcy and we have to avoid to be arrogant that F1… The life is a cycle and we don’t know what could happen before 2030. And I would think that we would put F1 in a tough situation for this.”
Vasseur has also downplayed that Andretti’s status as an American outfit would make its inclusion worthwhile, pointing to Haas and Logan Sargeant’s existing participation.
“Except if the new entrant is bringing massive added value to the F1,” the Ferrari team boss continued. “And I didn’t have access to the CEO of Andretti, but I think it’s the first question: what is the added value for the F1?
“We have already a 10th team who is American with Haas. We have an American driver on the grid. And the question for me is around this. What could be the value?”
Haas has already confirmed that its two drivers will sport special race suits for its second home race of the 2023 season in Austin, Texas this weekend.
The Kannapolis-based squad are also set to unveil a revised livery, something it also did for last year’s United States Grand Prix event.
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