FIA President’s American Dream Faces $24B Media Giant’s Hostility as Michael Andretti Languishes in Wait

Well hello! You must’ve heard that the Andretti name is back in the headlines. Michael Andretti’s dream of dashing onto the F1 grid has just shifted gears, with the FIA giving a nod to his ambitious venture. While this is a victory lap in its own right, it’s just the first of many chicanes to navigate before the 2025-26 starting grid sees Andretti colors fly. This aspiration, though shared by many, doesn’t sit well with everyone, especially the $24B worth Liberty Media, who control much of the sport’s purse strings.

Now that Andretti has both RPM and rants racing with equal vigor, FIA boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem has got the engines revving too. Recent revelations on the Unlapped podcast revealed Ben Sulayem’s dreamy ambitions for the sport. What are they, you ask?

“If you say what is my dream, it is to fill up the 12 slots and to have one U.S. team from an OEM, and a PU, and a driver from there driving and then go to China and ask for the same thing and do it,” he said. Ah, if only dreams were as easy to chase as a car on a racetrack!

One of the podcasters, Laurence Edmondson, put it succinctly, “The two things that F1 absolutely does not want,” are: More teams and fewer races.

In simple parlance, more F1 teams mean dividing the lucrative pie into more slices, leaving less on everyone’s plate. Furthermore, fewer races would mean fewer opportunities to rake in those colossal race-sanctioning fees. Seems like Bin Salam’s dream is quite the financial nightmare for some. As for fewer races, the sentiment in the F1 fandom is nostalgic. A leaner 18-race calendar, akin to yesteryears, would mean each race packs more punch, and championships wouldn’t lose their sizzle mid-season.

Read More: Logan Sargeant’s F1 Failure Opens Doors for Andretti’s Successful Entry

However, amidst all this high-octane debate, the fact remains: Can the F1 ecosystem even support 12 teams?

The Andretti F1 Dream: A high-speed chase filled with potholes

Alright, grab a cuppa! So, here’s the lowdown: The road ahead isn’t quite the smooth tarmac Andretti was hoping for. First off, a bit of a pit-stop moment came from James Vowles, the principal at Williams. He pulled the brakes and highlighted that, while the big guns of F1 are living the high life with plush sponsorships, not all teams have it rosy. Some are, well, running on fumes!

As for Andretti, here are the speed bumps they’re up against:

1. Commercial Tango:
   • They’ve got to dance through commercial discussions with F1.
   • F1’s been a bit cold-shouldered, playing hard to get.
2. Winning Hearts and Minds:
   • The big task? Wooing F1 and its existing teams.
   • Liberty Media, F1’s owner, is the ultimate matchmaker here.
3. That Hefty $200 million Tag:
   • The Concorde Agreement states: wanna join the club? Cough up $200 mil!
4. Maybe Buy a Ticket Instead?:
   • F1’s head honcho suggests Andretti buy an existing franchise to get in by 2024.
5. More Teams, Less Pie:
   • Existing teams are worried about their slice of the prize money pie shrinking with Andretti joining.
6. Not Everyone’s a Fan:
   • Ferrari and Williams, for instance, aren’t sending Andretti any welcome cards.
7. Fickle Friends:
   • F1’s big bosses seem to be swaying on Andretti’s entry, so maybe there’s hope?
8. Power Up, or Maybe Not:
   • That deal with Alpine for power units? It’s on standby.
9. F1’s Homework:
   • Even after FIA’s thumbs up, F1 wants to do its own background check.

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In a nutshell, the FIA’s approval for Andretti is just the starting grid. The real race? Navigating this maze of challenges. So, will Andretti cross the finish line and join F1? Strap in, it’s gonna be a wild ride! And time, and perhaps a few more spirited debates, will tell. Stay tuned to this high-speed soap opera, and in the meantime, keep those seat belts fastened!