Time passes and, although it may seem exaggerated, the 2026 is approaching. Many teams are already working to design the new power units - on which there is certainly no shortage of controversy. Although there will be the entry of Audi, there will always be ten teams in Formula 1. The motivation is linked to the union of Audi with the Sauber group - which will say goodbye to Alfa Romeo at the end of this season.
There are many requests in view of 2026
However, the last word has not yet been said. Over the weeks, numerous teams proposed themselves to the FIA, expressing their desire to enter stable plants in the Circus. Who seems to have brought more prerequisites to be able to enter is Andretti. The will of the Andretti Global team has always been to enter Formula 1, so much so that it didn't go down well the conductor assumed by the Federation: "Will we get to Formula 1? Will be better. Let's face it, as international as Formula 1 is, having a really solid American team and manufacturer must be good for them."
Not just Andretti! Hitech would also have received the OK
However, there is something new. Based on the news coming from Auto Motor und Sport, it seems that the approval has been received from the FIA for the entry from 2026 of both Andretti and Hitech. The British team is not a new acquaintance for those who follow Formula 2 and Formula 3, but the great objective is to try to further increase their reputation and, after all, what better place than F1. If this news were to be confirmed, with the two teams potentially officially entering F1, the grid would be made up of 24 drivers.
The teams don't fit, Toto Wolff speaks
On the other hand, however, there is the will of the ten teams not wanting to increase – a bit as Stefano Domenicali also admitted – the number of participants. The promoter of this idea is Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff"When you look at the qualifying sessions, I want to say that already now we seem to be on a go-kart track, we are in each other's way. There is a security problem, we don't have the logistics to put an eleventh team."
