Formula 1 Could Add More Teams, Trim Number of Races

Formula 1 expansion got another vote of confidence over the weekend from the head of the sport’s governing body.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said he was “optimistic” that Michael Andretti’s bid to form an 11th team in F1 would be approved by Formula One Management, which is owned by F1 parent company Liberty Media.

Last week, Andretti’s bid was the only one FIA chose to move forward in the expansion process. The American racing figure would partner with General Motors’ Cadillac brand on the effort. “Saying no to a team which has been approved by the FIA, it’s very hard to say no,” Ben Sulayem said.

If approved, Andretti’s team — which would require a minimum expansion fee of $200 million — wouldn’t launch until at least 2025. 

Too Much Racing?

As Red Bull star Max Verstappen clinched his third straight drivers’ championship on Sunday, the extreme heat at the Qatar Grand Prix raised safety concerns among several drivers who became unwell during the race. Track temperatures during the night race never dropped below 96 degrees. 

The heat-related safety concerns fall in line with Ben Sulayem’s feelings that putting on too many races in general is bad for drivers’ health. As F1 expands to a record 24 races next season — a grand prix on almost half the weekends of the year — the FIA chief said there should be “fewer races” moving forward.