Williams boss James Vowles has argued it is up to Formula 1 to present the “correct proposal” to compensate existing teams for General Motors’ impending addition.
Earlier this week it was revealed that General Motors and its Cadillac brand harbour an agreement in principle with F1 to become the 11th team on the grid from 2026.
General Motors had collaborated with Andretti Global earlier this term in a bid that the FIA chose to accept but Formula One Management [FOM] elected to turn down.
FOM outlined that it was unsure about the added value associated with the Andretti brand, while the incumbent sides have been against the prize pot reducing in size.
And while he has voiced an approval towards the General Motors name coming onboard, Vowles has conceded his continued worries about the financial implications.
“I think, first of all, it’s a sign of how well the sport is doing that we have a major OEM like GM joining us,” Vowles told media including Motorsport Week in Qatar.
“I think it’s just a sign of the growth, a sign of where Formula 1 is going.
“I don’t think there’s actually any defined amount of dilution fee. I think that’s a part of the ’26 Concorde [Agreement] which hasn’t been ratified at this point.
“What I’ve said all the way through is it will have financial loss for existing teams.
“What we have to do now is grow the sport sufficiently and firmly to be aware of that in order to make things good for everyone.”
Vowles urges F1 to compensate incumbent teams
Vowles, whose Williams squad is one of the last remaining independent operations in F1, had been opposed to the grid expanding until the current teams were stable.
However, it has been reported that General Motors has agreed to part with more than double the present $200m anti-dilution fee to secure a coveted spot in the sport.
The vast number that General Motors and the US group TWG Global are rumoured to have agreed to would recompense the diluted prize pool when a new side enters.
“So, there’s two things I said,” Vowles recalled. “I think it was actually here a year ago, but one of them was we welcome GM open-armed and they still maintain that.
“It’s a large brand that comes with it, a different significance to an independent body that’s joining us at that point.
“What I still maintain is this will have a large financial impact on existing teams. But Formula 1 are aware and it’s down to them to put forward a correct proposal.”
GM commitment key to reversal
Meanwhile, Vowles has explained his reversal in stance towards an 11th outfit derived from General Motors’ pledge to have a greater commitment to the renewed bid.
“We found out pretty much when you found out with the same news, they’re coming with their own power unit towards the end of this regulation set,” he highlighted.
“That’s about all we know on that one.
“And it isn’t the same proposition that was there before in as much as there’s a serious commitment and amount of investment going behind it.
“More than that, we know more than you do.”
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