Rumour floated about financial loss teams may suffer if Andretti join F1

Existing teams could stand to lose $11 million per year in prize money if Andretti are successful in their bid to enter F1.
Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing F
Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing F

That is according to ex-F1 driver and Sky pundit Karun Chandhok, who has revealed information he received from an anonymous team principal.

Reacting to the news that Andretti have been given the green light by the FIA to join the grid and become F1’s 11th team, Chandhok wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Would like to see them on the grid! More cars is good for F1 & young drivers.

“Told by one TP that existing teams would lose $11 million per year by slicing the pie 11 ways. If Andretti are willing to put in the $600 million to compensate the teams, that covers them for 5 years.”

The F1 prize pot gets distributed between the 10 competing teams as per the terms of the current Concorde Agreement.

More money is dished out to the teams who finish higher in the constructors’ championship, with those towards the bottom receiving a smaller slice of the pie.

(L to R): Mohammed Bin Sulayem (UAE) FIA President with Michael Andretti (USA) on the grid. Formula 1 World Championship,
(L to R): Mohammed Bin Sulayem (UAE) FIA President with Michael Andretti …

The addition of an 11th team would mean the prize pot would have to be split further, resulting in less money to go around.

Could this prove to be one of the main hurdles still standing in Andretti’s way?

The American outfit’s hopes of joining the grid now rests with F1, who are in the process of considering their application.

F1’s assessment on whether or not to grant entry to Andretti is set to be a determined by commercial terms.

Andretti’s quest to become an 11th team has already received a mixed reaction from existing teams.

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