'I predicted FIA's latest approval – I'd bet £660m on F1 letting 11th team in'

03 October 2023 , 05:30

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Michael Andretti received FIA approval to join F1 – but has more hoops to jump through (Image: AP)

Formula 1 chiefs must make the "no-brainer" decision to allow Michael Andretti to form the sport's 11th team.

That's the view of David Dicker, whose company Rodin Cars saw its own bid rejected by the FIA. The New Zealand-based carmaker was one of three other parties to make it through to phase two of the governing body's Expressions of Interest process, but fell at that hurdle.

Andretti Global's bid was the only one approved by the FIA. Formula One Management said it will now "conduct its own assessment of the merits of the remaining application".

No approval from FOM, licence holders Liberty Media and the existing 10 teams would mean no way onto the grid for Andretti. It remains to be seen whether or not the American will receive that blessing, but FIA approval was widely expected and predicted specifically by Dicker last week as he announced that Rodin's bid had failed.

Speaking exclusively to Mirror Sport, he implied that he had known for some time that Andretti was going to get the green light from the FIA. "That was about as reliable a prediction as the sun coming up tomorrow," he said.

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And the Australian businessman, whose fortune was estimated earlier this year at around £660m, said he was extremely confident that, despite F1's cold public response to the idea of adding an 11th team, Andretti will be granted the chance to race in the sport.

He said: "I don't think there's any chance in a million years that Andretti is not going to get in. I would pretty much bet everything I own! If the Formula 1 guys turn them down... I just couldn't imagine it.

"To be honest, the Formula 1 Management guys should be making the decision and it should have nothing to do with the teams. Having the teams weighing in constantly is like inmates running the asylum.

"I can't imagine the commercial side of the F1 guys turning [Andretti] down, because where's the negative? More teams are always going to make it more interesting, it's just as simple as that. It's such a no-brainer.

"If you look at comments online, I'd say support for a new team – no matter who it was – has to be running at 80 or 90 percent. There are very few people in the public who think 10 teams is enough and we can’t have any more. How many of the teams think that?

"I'll be amazed if Andretti don't get in. Traditionally, it's always been 26 cars and the only reason why they went down to 10 teams was because they brought in four new teams back in 2010 and those teams couldn't survive. There's no magic about [having] 10 teams."

Daniel Moxon