Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner has explained why most F1 teams won’t let Andretti Cadillac enter F1.
It may be F1’s winter break, but there’s a lot going on around the paddock. For example, there is currently a split over the possible entry of Andretti Cadillac, which most F1 teams have not acknowledged.
According to Christian Horner, the existing F1 teams are not against Andretti or anyone else’s participation. The Red Bull Racing team boss claims he wasn’t properly explained why things are more complicated than they should be, and says he’s not just paying $20 million for each team.
“But like all these things, it comes down to ‘who’s going to pay for it?'” Horner said in an interview with Racer.com.
Christian Horner argued that it was the team who ultimately paid the price, directly or indirectly, and they weren’t waiting for it. After all, the $200 million the new team has to pay is a one-off, but the prize money remains the same.
Andretti has received support from McLaren and Alpine, but those teams have their own reasons.
“The two teams we support (McLaren and Alpine) either have partnerships with them in the US or are going to supply them with engines. You have to dilute it,'” explains Christian Horner.
A possible solution would be to increase the prize money, but Liberty Media doesn’t seem to think so. Christian Horner said F1’s owners were happy with the sport’s financial performance, and said that introducing a new team would dilute the value of the current 10 teams, so they would have to move to the existing 10 teams, as Audi does with Sauber. claim that they believe that taking over or merging their teams is the preferred solution.
Still, Christian Horner hopes a solution can be found.
“As with all these things, it all comes down to money, but I think there will be a tipping point,” continued Horner.
Assuming the team’s prize money is well compensated, the question is how much money will it take to do so, and whether that amount will be out of reach for subsequent newcomers.
Christian Horner therefore believes that F1 and the FIA should find a solution, but even between the two bodies there is disagreement on the subject.
FIA president Mohamed bin Sulayem has strongly welcomed Andretti and GM’s interest amid F1’s cautious stance.
“Anyway, all parties need to have smart conversations and agree on something realistic and doable,” Horner said.
Category: F1 / red bull / Andretti