FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem wants more teams and fewer races as he ramps pressure on F1
Governing body the FIA has already given Andretti’s bid t𓆉o become F1’s 11th team its blessing, but the matter has now been passed on to FOM for final approvไal.
𒀰F1 and the existing teams’ current stance on the prospect of Andretti joining the grid has been lukewarm at best.
"Saying no to a team which has been approved by the FIA, it’s very hard to say no," Ben Sulayem told .&nꦉbsp;
"The FIA should be asking𓄧, begging, OEMs to come in. We should not just say n𒀰o to them.
"If you say: 'What is my dream?' It is to fill up the 12 [team slots] and to have on🍸e US team from an OEM and a [power unit] and a driver from there. And then go to China maybe and ask for the same thing and do it.”
Ben Sulayem rejected suggestions that it would be bette🔯r for Andretti-Cadillac to bu꧂y an existing team, something Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had previously said.
"You cannot force A✱ndretti/GM to buy another team just 🍸because [the current owners may] want to sell,” he said.
"I won't mention names, but t𝓰hey were af𝓡ter me to go on and convince GM to do that. It's not my job. I was not elected to do that. I am not a broker.”
𒐪According to Ben Sulayem, F1 should have more teams 💖and fewer races.
"We are allowed to have 12 teams [in the rules]. Some of the teams said 'Oh, it will be crowded🐓'. Really? We are already running a Hollywood team with us," he said in reference to the Brad Pitt F1 movie which has been filmed at some races this season.
"The circuits are supposed to have enough garages and ꦡspace for 12🐲 teams. I think the number of races is too much [rather] than the number of teams. We need more teams and fewer races.
"The teams are looking at the piece of cake. I understand their worries… but our worries are differentꦐ.”
Ben Sulayem also moved to dismiss the notio🐬n of a power struggle between F1 and the FIA.
"We are not a service provider," he added. "We own the championship. We leased it - we are the 🌺landlord. So that has to be respected also.
"My intention was never to embarrass or to put someone in a corner, [F1 owners] Liberty or FOM [Formula 1 Man🍷agement]. 🎉I am here for the spirit of the sport."
Lewis regularly a♈ttends Grands Prix for wuqian0821.com around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matte🌄r in the sport.
