Toto Wolff wants new F1 teams to QUALIFY for grid spot in US-style approach

Wolff op de Red Bull Ring — Photo: © LAT Images

Toto Wolff

Wolff wants new F1 teams to QUALIFY for grid spot in US-style approach

At least two teams have made an approach to enter F1 and more could try as the sport continues to grow

Joe Ellis

Saturday 15 July 2023 14:57

Toto Wolff wants to see F1 take an American approach to introducing new teams to the grid in the future.

It's a topic of hot discussion at the moment with Andretti Autosport and Hitech GP both launching bids to enter the sport.

So far, neither has made any inroads into the paddock despite a wealth of experience outside of F1, much to the dismay of Michael Andretti, in particular, .

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Wolff, the team principal at Mercedes, believes F1 teams wanting to join the grid should have to qualify first through a variety of measures.

A collective decision

Michael Andretti has made big strides to try and get his team on the grid, but to no avail so far

"There is no mature sports league in the world, whether it's a national football championship, or the Champions League, the NBA, the NFL, the NHL, where such situation is possible, where you say, 'I'm setting up a team and I'm joining, thank you very much for making me part of the prize fund,'" Wolff said to Sky Sports.

"You have to give to qualify, you have to go through the ranks, you have to showcase the commitment to the championship that we've done over the many years.

"If everybody in the NFL agrees - the teams that own the franchise there, so it's different to us - agrees to have another entry, to let another team in because of the right reasons, the right ownership, etc, then that team is being admitted into the championship.

"And the same with most of the professional leagues in the US. We are a franchise, and this is how I would look at it."

"If (an entry bid) is creative, then we must look at it," Wolff added. "So far, what we've seen hasn't convinced the teams - but we haven't seen the applications and submissions that were made to the FIA and to Stefano, and they will judge whether that is positive for Formula 1 or not.

"But in any case, from a team's owner side, there are no leagues which just increased the entries, because that just dilutes the whole league. I think if it's accretive then obviously not."