New stables: an entry ticket to 200 million dollars

Grid F1 deserves to be more provided. Many have made this observation in the paddock, starting with FIA President Jean Todt who often puts forward the number of 12 teams as the number constituting the ideal squad. 

Based on this observation, one might have believed that the new Concorde Agreements, which will govern sport between the 2021 and 2025 seasons after their recent unanimous adoption, would favor new applications. 

Why not! 

It must be said that the 10 teams in the current field are afraid of receiving a smaller share of F1 revenues if the same pie is divided into more pieces. 

Speaking from Mugello, Zak Brown confirmed that any potential new entrant would have to pay $200 million (€216 million), then distributed equitably between the 10 existing teams. 

« These 200 million are intended to protect the value of the existing stables », confided the CEO of Mclaren racing, while immediately pointing out that the new owners of Williams, Dorilton Capital, had paid less to take over the historic team and the associated rights.

« But if you believe in the power of the F1 brand and its growth prospects, you will be able to get that 200 million back later, Brown hastened to clarify. The regulations also authorize Liberty Media to adjust the amount of the entry ticket ». 

Our colleagues from RaceFans reported in December 2019 the existence of this tax, specifying that exemptions could be granted if interested candidates contributed to boosting the image of sport, thus growing the revenue pie. 

On pense notamment à des constructeurs d’envergure comme Audi ou Porsche, même si ces derniers sont concentrés aujourd’hui sur d’autres programmes. 

Exemptions are also provided if the number of teams falls below 10.  

In this spirit, Brown also clarified that the $200 million tax was intended to prevent shaky and doomed applications, such as the stillborn USF1 project around ten years ago. 

« We want to avoid ending up with a team like USF1 which announces that it wants to join F1 and never shows up, detailed the American. The 200 million dollars are also there for interested candidates to prove their strength and their desire to follow through with the process. 

In the past, we have often had fanciful announcements where people told us they were going to come before it led to anything. I don't think I've ever seen anything like this anywhere else in the sports world. ».

Brown also recognized that it takes around 2 years to set up a Formula 1 team when you start from scratch. Add the price of entry into the equation and you will understand that the expansion of the grid is probably not for tomorrow. 

Asked about the subject Saturday evening after qualifying, Toto wolff also said he was delighted with the measure. The stable boss Mercedes suggested that F1 was intended to remain a closed league with 10 participants.

Too bad, but as Todt often reminds us, it is undoubtedly better to have 10 teams in good financial health than an enlarged field with teams in a very precarious situation. 

In recent months, various new team projects, exotic to say the least, have appeared here and there in the media. In October 2019, the Spanish team Campos, presented in F2 et F3, said he was working on the launch of a 100% Iberian team in 2021 with Pascal Wehrlein (who is German but hey) and Alex Palou, currently in IndyCar, as pilots. There is also the Arlesian Panthera Team Asia, led by Benjamin Durand and which we hear about from time to time.