F1 and FIA still deadlocked over adding new team

Differences between Formula 1 and the FIA over the decision to add an 11th team to the grid remain unresolved, according to Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei this week.

Maffei was asked about the issue during an investors conference call this week, in which he made clear that he was on the same side as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali in being sceptical about the value of adding a new team.

"I think there's little daylight between Stefano's and my view, which is we have ten great teams, and we're very excited about what they're doing,” he said.

"It's unclear what value an 11th team would add - and there is a lot of uncertainty among the other teams about an 11th team."

While Maffei, Domenicali and most team principals are reluctant to see the number of teams expanded - with Toto Wolff recently highlighting the lack of space on pit lane for a new garage - the FIA is enthusiastic.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been supportive of new teams declaring an interest in joining the grid, and opened up a formal application process for the likes of Andretti Global to make their bid.

• Read also: Adding 11th team would create a 'safety concern' for F1, says Wolff

Ben Sulayem insisted that he wasn't playing favourites and was following all the rules for the application process, but it's been a source of friction between the governing body and the teams and F1 itself in recent months.

“The FIA and we have had productive discussions about all this. Do we agree on everything, every moment? No, we discuss it, and we hopefully work things out," said Maffei. “There was a process to add more teams, but the bar is very high."

"The FIA started the process, as is their prerogative,” acknowledged Domenicali. “We are waiting for the final conclusion ... That decision, that information, will come very, very soon - I would say within the month of September.

“As always in this discussion we'll find agreement together, because as he [Maffei] said, the value of the teams and value of the business today is very, very strong."

Another matter on the table is discussions about the new Concord Agreement, the ten-year contract between F1 and the teams laying down the commercial and sporting rules of their participation in the championship.

"Conversations are really going ahead, because the momentum of sport is really great,” Domenicali said.

“Of course we're not in a rush, but I would say that all things are heading a positive conclusion for these discussions - both with the teams and the FIA.”

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