Throughout human history we have always spoken in dichotomies, oppositions, discordances: good-bad, hot-cold, slow-fast. Stories comparable to the duo Liberty Media-FIA. We try to keep quiet but everyone in the paddock knows thatand there is bad blood between the two great powers that move the pawns of F1. Tensions have emerged lately over the possibility of admitting an eleventh team in 2025.
Andretti wants to be a racing team
Michael Andretti son of former driver Mario Andretti, he had famously applied to join the F1 starting grid from 2025, as the eleventh team. The Federation International after long reflection gave the green light last October 2nd. A green light also obtained thanks to President Mohamed Ben Sulayem who also declared that “in his ideal F1 12 teams compete for fewer races”. The ball then passes to Liberty Media which has the final say, a final decisive word, which puts even them in doubt, listen to the teams present who don't want to split the nest egg with others at all, or welcome more show and more money? There is an element missing from the narrative, the so-called "Concord Agreement" which could close the doors to Andretti, as told by Roberto Chichero on Motorsport.com Italia.
The Concordat Pact
"Concorde Agreeement" an agreement between teams and F1 commercial rights holders, i.e. Liberty Media. The current pact admits the possibility of having 12 competing teams on the grid. However, the contract expires in 2025 and we are already thinking about the changes to be made. Andretti has applied to enter the championship in 2025, but will not be at the negotiating table for the stipulation of the next Concordat Pact. Therefore, if the number of teams admitted to the competition were reduced, he would have to give up the project. The tensions between the FIA and Liberty Media are therefore based on the internal dynamics of F1, which brings a lot of money and power games into play.
The declared tensions between Liberty Media and FIA:
For now everything is at a standstill, but the tensions between the parties are tangible.
"I was elected to take care of this sport, I didn't put anything in my pocket and there are no shareholders, just as there is no board of directors to share profits. My mission is different from theirs" thus speaks Ben Sulayem who was keen to underline the difference between the roles of the two bodies, as if to distance himself from them.
Especially for the episodes that interested him after his clear support for Andretti's proposal:
"We have a contract in force that includes 12 teams, don't forget it. I asked myself: what did I do to suffer all these attacks? How can you refuse a house like GM? I'm optimistic that they won't say no. It's good for business. It's good for motorsports. And if there is another reliable team that will ask to be admitted, I will open a new expression of interest procedure".
A dichotomy, which sees no compromises, white wants to remain white and black, black. Who knows, maybe F1 needs a little grey.
