by VALERIO BARRETTA
The idea of “part-time” teams
Allow a maximum of three more teams to race but only on certain circuits that can accommodate 26 cars. This is the idea submitted to Formula 1 and the FIA by two technicians, Tim Milne and Lewis Butler (who now deal with motorsport consultancy but have a past in F1 with experience in Renault, Honda, Super Aguri and Caterham the former, Red Bull, Caterham and Manor the latter). The idea aims to reconcile the needs of the FIA (which would like to expand access to F1) and Liberty Media, which instead has an interest in limiting registrations to the championship for economic reasons (more teams mean less income for existing teams).
The idea – naturally to be developed and improved – could also be taken into consideration in view of the next Concorde Agreement, active from 2026, after Liberty Media rejected Andretti’s candidacy as it would not bring added value to the championship. According to what he reported RacingNews365 (who saw the proposal), the three “extra” teams would not race in all the grands prix (think of Zandvoort or Jeddah where already with 20 cars there are enormous traffic problems in qualifying) but only in those with wider road surfaces. The key thing is that the teams would not take on the role of constructors, therefore they would not obtain championship points and – above all – they would not be entitled to prize money.
Inside the proposal
The grand prix with these additional teams should be 14 (eight in the larger venues and six to specifically promote development within its home market), while the chassis it should be from a single supplier. Each team would be entitled to a presence in the paddock to demonstrate their ability to generate revenue and, in the first three years, increase revenue and fan engagement in their home market. In addition, obviously, there is the track, where performances of an acceptable level will have to be provided, but it is clear that not being able to compete on equal terms with the existing teams (the chassis is not theirs, the engineering model would necessarily be limited) This could be the main evaluation criterion. In short, a three-year apprenticeship aimed at receiving constructor status in the fourth season.
Milne’s words
Pat Symonds, technical manager at FOM, took note of the proposal. Milne and Butler believe their idea is at least worthy of attention and constructive dialogue: “Not even the brand Andretti, backed by General Motors, and LKYSUNZ, with $1.5 billion from a top-tier financial institution and a three-year plan to grow the sport in Southeast Asia, were enough to get in. This made me understand that it is not possible to found a Formula 1 team starting from a blank sheet of paper and be on the starting grid in three years.“Milne said. “It seemed illogical to me that the sport was turning its back on these big brands and that there wasn’t a way for Formula 1 to embrace these investments and use them as an opportunity to grow. I felt there had to be a way to do it“.
But if these teams can’t earn like the others (for example by not earning championship points), how can they pay for it entrance fee of the current F1, which is expected to grow from the current 200 to 600 million dollars? They simply wouldn’t pay the 600 million: “If a team has to spend this amount before spending a cent on recruitment, technical design, infrastructure, factory and everything needed to be competitive, it seems to me that it can be better invested. If instead we say: ‘Okay, don’t pay the 600 million dollars but come and run and don’t take anything from the plate’I’d be surprised if any of the new teams objected“.
Criticalities
Of this proposal, which the promoters themselves define as improvable and open to modification, the performance issue remains quite unclear, which is in the background here but should instead be the focal point of any evaluation. Even if a compromise of this type were reached, the fact of not having an equal fight between the ten strongest teams and the newcomers would hardly give the smaller ones the correct basis for growth. Not to mention the issue of safety and how good it can be for Formula 1 to have cars on the track that have been playing in a separate championship right from the start. But the promoters of the idea and F1 will eventually talk about this.
