F1 News: FIA President Claims Number Of Races Is More Of A Worry Than Number Of Teams

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has spoken out on the number of races in a season.

The president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, sparked dialogues in the racing community by advocating for more F1 teams and a reduced race calendar. In light of the recent approval of Andretti's bid to enter F1 and a swelling global schedule of grand prix, Ben Sulayem brought attention to a divergence in concerns between the FIA and commercial stakeholders.

Key Takeaways

• The FIA approved Andretti’s entry into F1, encouraging the inclusion of more teams—up to the rule-stated 12—with Ben Sulayem envisioning diversified representation from different countries and their original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
• Despite a $200m anti-dilution fee for new entrants, current F1 teams express financial reservations, fearing dilution of the prize fund and citing past and present economic struggles amidst the booming success of F1.
• The FIA president deems the swelling number of races—set to be a record 24 next season—as more concerning than the number of participating teams, nudging the spotlight towards the physical and logistical strains it might impose on teams and drivers.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasised the importance of welcoming more teams into the F1 fold, particularly stressing on the incorporation of OEMs. "The FIA should be asking, begging, OEMs to come in. We should not just say no to them," he articulated to BBC Sport, imagining a future where the slots for teams in the championship are not only filled but represent a global palette of manufacturers and talents.

The tensions between enriching the sport through expanded participation and safeguarding the financial stability of existing teams are palpable. With a stringent anti-dilution fee and a budget cap introduced, the smaller teams, despite being granted larger infrastructural spending allowances, stand firm in their opposition against new entrants on economic grounds.

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But Ben Sulayem, refuting the idea of a crowding issue and emphasising the FIA’s ownership of the championship, states:

"We are allowed to have 12 teams [in the rules]. Some of the teams said 'Oh, it will be crowded'. Really? We are already running a Hollywood team with us.

"The circuits are supposed to have enough garages and space for 12 teams. I think the number of races is too much [rather] than the number of teams. We need more teams and fewer races.

"The teams are looking at the piece of cake. I understand their worries… but our worries are different."

F1 News: FIA Officially Approves Andretti Cadillac To Join Formula One Grid

The elongation of the F1 calendar, teetering at a historic 24 races next season, brings forward questions not only about team logistics and financial distributions but also about the sheer physical and mental endurance of the drivers and team staff. 

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