Karun Chandhok has suggested that Andretti could get rival F1 teams to accept their planned entry into the sport by compensating them on their projected loss of earnings. It was revealed earlier this week that Andretti had been given FIA approval to join the grid as an 11th team, although they will need to reach a commercial agreement with FOM to get an entry spot.
Some teams have opposed the idea of Andretti joining the grid, which could see the available prize money diluted by tens of millions of pounds per season, per team. F1’s governing documents, often referred to as the Concorde Agreement, allow for up to 12 teams to take part in the sport.
The rules also mandate a £165million anti-dilution fee to be split between the existing teams to compensate them for the loss of prize money caused by the potential introduction of an 11th team. However, many teams have suggested that the figure is too low given the apparent rise in value of the sport due to its recent increase in popularity.
Chandhok, however, believes that Andretti could get teams onside by offering to compensate them for an initial period of five years. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Would like to see them on the grid! More cars is good for F1 and young drivers.
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“Told by one TP [team principal] that existing teams would lose $11m [£9.1m] per year by slicing the pie 11 ways. If Andretti are willing to put in the $600m [£496m] to compensate the teams, that covers them for five years.”
Andretti’s place on the F1 grid will only be finalised if their entry is considered to add value to the championship as a whole. The assessment period is expected to drag on for a number of months, with the BBC reporting that Andretti’s bid is highly likely to be rejected by FOM.
Several high-profile figures in F1 have already expressed their opposition to an 11th team joining the sport, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff having suggested that such a move would risk upsetting the apple cart. He said: “The FIA, FOM and the 10 teams, we need to protect the sport. We’re holding this sensitive sport that’s growing at the moment in our hands.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner, meanwhile, added: “If [an 11th team] dilutes the existing 10 of course they are going to have an issue with it. Liberty [Media] are not going to want to dilute their element of the income.”
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