Shop
Haas team boss Guenther Steiner has delivered a damning verdict on the FIA’s plans to increase the number of teams on the F1 grid.
Motorsport’s world governing body recently opened the Expressions of Interest process, leading to the possibility there could be two new teams as early as 2025.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem cited the fact “the growth and appeal” of F1 “is at unprecedented levels”.
Andretti Autosport is leading the way to become a new team, but despite announcing a partnership with GM/Cadillac, the response to its bid has been met with a lukewarm reception.
Steiner has long opposed the possibility of a new team joining, and ahead of the new season, he remains entrenched in his view.
“There is just risk, no benefit,” said Steiner on the UK’s Sky Sports.
Steiner wary of global trends
The 10 current teams are in a healthy position as F1 rides a wave of popularity and is financially healthy.
But it was only 15 years ago F1 was affected by a global crisis and manufacturers like BMW and Toyota exited.
Highlighting how easily F1 is subject to global issues, Steiner added: “Five years ago, you could get teams for nothing. Nobody wanted them, they went out of business.
“Now, all of a sudden, everybody wants a team. But it’s a lot of people that want to come with Formula 1 on it.
“The 10 teams which are here, they are all financially stable, they are all well set up.
“It’s a very good environment at the moment, nobody is struggling.
“So if you put an 11th team in and we get a little bit of a dip in the economy or something, all of a sudden people will maybe struggle to survive.
“Why take that risk if there is no upside? Because an 11th team, what upside is it bringing?
“It’s not for me to decide, it’s FOM and the FIA, because they’re managing the business side of F1.
“But there is no upside at the moment for an 11th team to come for the other teams.”
