Brown open to expanding F1 grid, if new teams pay 'fair fee'

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McLaren Racing boss reiterated his support for Andretti-Cadillac joining the F1 grid, as long as the US outfit – or any other new team that applies for an entry – agrees to pay a "fair franchise fee".

Last month, the FIA launched its 'expression of interest' process by which it will consider the legitimacy of F1 team projects submitted by potential new entrants.

Andretti-Cadillac which has been heavily promoting its plans to race in F1 since last year, will likely file its 'expression of interest' with the FIA in the coming weeks.

The US outfit claims that it fulfills all the technical and commercial requirements imposed by the sport's governing body and is ready to get the ball rolling for an entry into F1 as soon as 2025.

However at the outset of Michael Andretti's endeavor, most teams and indeed Formula 1 itself took a dim view of the American team owner's plans, as adding an eleventh outfit to the sport's current field of competitors would inevitably dilute F1's prize money fund.

As a partial compensation measure for such dilution, F1 has imposed a one-off $200 anti-dilution fee that also serves as a dissuasive barrier of entry for prospective candidates who don't have the technical or financial clout to compete in F1.

The definition of a "fair" franchise fee as suggested by Brown is unclear.

But F1 is considering increasing its anti-dilution fee, with a two-fold or possibly a three-fold number conceivably inscribed in Grand Prix racing's next Concorde Agreement that will come into effect in 2026.

The topic is set to be discussed at next week's F1 Commission meeting.

Brown's stance on F1 accepting new teams hasn't changed since the matter was first tabled over a year ago.

The McLaren boss would give a thumbs up to Andretti-Cadillac joining the fray, as long as the latter's entry benefits Formula 1 as a whole.

"Our general view is that so long as a team is additive to the sport, whether it's an 11th team and/or a 12th team, and can help make the pie bigger, drive greater awareness and we all get more sponsors, we get more media deals, and they pay what's a fair franchise fee, which all sports have, then I see no reason for them not to join," Brown said, quoted by Motorsport.com.

"It's ultimately up to the FIA and Formula 1 to determine whether they tick all those boxes of criteria. But assuming they do, then very welcome to race against them."

Addressing the push back on Andretti's plans by teams and Formula 1, with for instance Haas team boss Guenther Steiner stating recently that there was "no upside" for F1 in accepting the US outfit within its ranks, Brown said that he wasn't surprised by the wave of opposition.

"I've found some Formula 1 teams are very short-sighted in their view on not taking a longer-range view of what are things that can grow the sport, and they kind of think about the here and now," he said;

"Unfortunately, I'm not surprised some of our competitors are quite short-sighted in their thinking."

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Michael Delaney