Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes F1 team, talks about the possibility of entering the 11th F1 team – Andretti. He said it would be a different story if he brought in a new F1 engine supplier – Porsche.
As F1 grew in popularity, so did the number of constructors looking to enter. The Andretti Group has been trying to get into F1 since last year, but so far it has been unsuccessful.
On the other hand, Audi and Porsche have confirmed their intention to participate as F1 engine builders from 2026.
Audi has officially announced its entry into F1 from 2026, and is said to be working to acquire the Sauber F1 team and participate as a works team, while until recently Porsche was hoping for a 50-50 partnership with Red Bull. They went on, but broke down.
But Andretti’s pleas have been repeatedly denied by the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) and F1 teams.
Toto Wolff is Andretti’s biggest opponent, arguing that while he is a big name that could attract more American audiences, he would also devalue the current F1 team.
But Toto Wolff has conceded some ground in the battle for the first time, saying it would be a different deal if a team like Andretti agreed a deal with a new F1 power unit supplier.
F1 teams are currently served by four engine suppliers. Mercedes, as well as works teams, power Williams, McLaren and Aston Martin, Honda Redbu Powertrains engines power Red Bull and AlphaTauri cars, and Ferrari, as well as works teams, Haas Supplied to Alfa Romeo. Renault is building its own engine for the Alpine F1 team.
“Formula 1 is thriving because 10 teams, each with a different DNA, have committed to Formula 1, most of which have spent billions of dollars over the years. That is what it is today. We made F1,” said Wolff.
“If a new team wants to join, anyone is free to make an offer to the FIA and the FIA and Formula 1 will have to investigate whether the team is a good fit for our business. So far , no field rice”
“If a team gets a new engine supplier and says this is what we want to do, then of course it’s a completely different story and it’s going to raise other considerations. That’s the team owner. That’s the point for me as a person: if the cake is big, it’s okay to share it.”
Category: F1 / mercedes / Porsche / Andretti
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