F1 News: FIA President Ben Sulayem Optimistic Andretti Formula One Bid Will Avoid Legal Action

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed confidence regarding Andretti's potential entry into Formula One. This comes amid concerns about possible legal disputes and strain between the FIA and F1's governing body.

Key Takeaways:

While the FIA has approved Andretti's entry proposal, the final nod from Formula One Management (FOM) is pending, determining the eligibility for prize money.
Despite murmurs of potential lawsuits based on EU anti-competition laws, Ben Sulayem remains confident that the situation won't resort to court action.
Given that Liberty Media, the owner of F1's commercial rights, is an American entity and Andretti's partnership with General Motors and Cadillac, the addition of an American team is viewed as a significant benefit.

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Mohammed Ben Sulayem's assurances come amidst growing skepticism around Andretti's prospective induction. While the FIA has sanctioned Andretti's bid, a formal agreement between the team and FOM, F1's commercial rights holder, is yet to be finalised. Such an agreement would secure Andretti's stake in the championship prize fund. Contrary to the FIA's endorsement, FOM, influenced by reservations from current teams and Stefano Domenicali, F1's chief, has been tepid about including an 11th squad.

The president, addressing the media before the Qatar Grand Prix, stated:

"No we won't have to go to court.

"I don't think any of us want to go to court. Maybe it sounds very exciting and threatening to the media, it's like, oooh, it's very very nice to them. But it will not go to court, I am sure of that. Why should we go to court?"

Furthermore, the FIA president highlighted the promising aspects of the situation. He noted the prospective value that an American team, backed by major brands like General Motors and Cadillac, would bring to F1, especially given that Liberty, the proprietors of F1's commercial rights, are American. The positive fluctuation in share prices post the announcement indicates market confidence.

"There are many aspects to this. First of all, you look at, it is an American, Liberty is an American company. I read that Liberty were approving and they were saying we would like to have an 11th team. And then looking at the share price, that it went up instead of down when we declared it, that's good for them.

"And thirdly, to say no to an American OEM, it's very hard. In the country, it's good for business.

"If FOM refuses to have the funds, still the team can enter by the way, you know that? But, do you really think it will go that far?

"One thing I would say, I hope and I trust Stefano. Stefano doesn't come from only commercial, Stefano comes from the automotive industry and the sport also."

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Despite existing tensions, rooted in the controversial 2021 season finish and debates around sprint races, Ben Sulayem believes the FIA and F1 relationship won't be jeopardised. He emphasised that every decision, including opening up for new teams, is targeted towards the long-term enrichment of the sport.

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