F1 News: FIA And Liberty Media Continue To Butt Heads Over Grid Expansion

It is FIA vs Liberty Media for 'the eleventh team.' Is there a team that Liberty does not want on the grid?

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has always been supportive of having more teams in Formula One despite the hesitation from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. After all, the Concorde Agreement allows for up to 12 teams on the grid and Sulayem has been playing as per the rule book. 

As the governing body reviews the packages it has received from interested parties, F1 and Liberty Media have yet again questioned the need for an additional team on the grid. 

Domenicali insists that the eleventh entrant would have to add significant value to the sport. Other Team Principals and Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei sided with his comments. Maffei expressed his opinion on a call with Wall Street Analysts:

"I think there's little daylight between Stefano's and my view, which is we have 10 great teams, and we're very excited about what they're doing. 

"There was a process to add more teams, but the bar is very high. And it's unclear what value an 11th team would add. And there is a lot of uncertainty among the other teams about an 11th team.

"The FIA and we have had productive discussions about all this. Do we agree on everything, every moment? No, we discuss it, and we hopefully work things out."

Domenicali revealed that a discussion with FIA on this matter should get them to a fruitful agreement within a month:

"The FIA started the process, as is their possibility. We are waiting for the final conclusion.

"But as always in this discussion, we'll find agreement together, because as [Maffei] said the value of the teams and value of the business today is very, very strong.

"That decision, that information, will come very, very soon, I would say within the month of September."

Domenicali also hints that talks for the 2026 Concorde Agreement are underway between Formula 1 teams and the FIA. He revealed:

"I would say today, conversations are really going ahead, because the momentum of sport is really great.

"Of course, we're not in a rush. But I would say that all things are heading a positive conclusion for these discussions, both with the teams and the FIA.” 

There seem to be strong disagreements between the FIA and Liberty Media on allowing more teams to enter the F1 grid. Ventures such as Andretti Cadillac have not only submitted their application to the FIA but have already begun preparations to enter the grid by hiring expert staff and building basic infrastructure. 

Andretti Cadillac awaits the FIA's official confirmation of their entry into Formula 1 but severe opposition from the other teams and Liberty Media has added uncertainty to the scene. It's just a matter of a month until we know what's cooking.