F1 boss issues verdict over 12th team

Stefano Domenicali, generic, 2025, Monaco — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 boss issues verdict over adding ANOTHER team

Cadillac are set to join the F1 grid in 2026

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 10 September 2025 10:57

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has issued his verdict on whether a 12th team will be able to enter the sport in the future.

Cadillac are set to become the 11th team on the grid in 2026, with the American outfit having confirmed Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as their drivers last week.

They will be led by team principal Graeme Lowdon, and will compete with Ferrari engines until 2028, when General Motors enter the sport as a power unit supplier for Cadillac.

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Cadillac's swift admittance onto the grid has led to suggestions that there could be room for more teams in the future, with former F1 outfit Caterham recently expressing their desire to compete once more in F1.

However, Domenicali has now issued a no more room at the inn verdict, suggesting that logistically, F1 is at capacity.

"We have to be cautious," the Italian told Motorsport.com. "We’ll only evaluate a bid of great significance because I think we’re already at a point with no more room - logistically we’re at the limit.

"I see great interest from funds and investors looking to buy current franchises - let’s call them that - because a team’s value is growing exponentially, and therefore financial interest in investing in F1 is also increasing.

"We see it first hand because we receive many enquiries, and the same happens to the teams. But precisely because things are going well, we must be prudent and protect the value of what we’ve built."

Cadillac's arrival

After a failed attempt by an Andretti-led bid to break into the sport, Cadillac's acceptance came using much of the same personnel and facilities, but with the huge Cadillac and General Motors names attached to the bid.

Formula One Management (FOM) rejected Andretti's bid back in January 2024 despite the FIA having originally accepted it, with FOM unsure of the value it would bring to the series.

With Mario Andretti on the board of directors for the new Cadillac outfit, the team were able to persuade FOM that it was a fresh enough bid to be reconsidered, with this time the GM-powered outfit being accepted by the sport.

Domenicali has now explained that decision, stating: "When we received the Andretti project, our view was negative - not because Andretti wasn’t good. Mario is a legend, an icon of this sport, and a friend. We simply didn’t see the substance behind the project that we consider necessary.

"Things changed when General Motors came in. We saw significant investment with a 10-year plan and immediately spoke favourably because we believe in this case the project can bring added value to the system.

"We’re already seeing it now - they’re investing in the US market to promote their new initiative, so that guarantees a benefit."

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