![\"Formula](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2291685363-e1788350558697.jpg\")
\t\tFormula 1 chiefs have cooled speculation that a 12th team could join the grid\t<\/p>\n\t\t\tThursday 03 September 2026 5:00 am
\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Updated:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\tWednesday 02 September 2026 1:10 pm\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\tFormula 1 chiefs have cooled speculation that a 12th team could join the grid\t<\/p>\n
Formula 1 chiefs have cooled speculation that a 12th team could join the grid before the end of the decade.<\/p>\n
The global motor sport series saw the number of teams rise from 10 to 11 earlier this season when Cadillac joined the grid, and FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem has previously said he is open to a 12th team.<\/p>\n
There have been reports surrounding the entry of Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD and the return of former Formula 1 boss Otmar Szafnauer, but it is understood that no formal bid \u2013 which comes with a \u00a3300m entry fee \u2013 has been made.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext season\u2019s pretty impossible,\u201d Formula 1\u2019s<\/a> chief communications and corporate relations officer, Liam Parker, told City AM.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese things take a while but if Company X was incredible and ticked all the boxes, the technical analysis can be very quick based on the competencies and the capabilities of people. I don\u2019t want to put a timeline on it specifically because Cadillac was an example that took over a year and a half from confirmation.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d also say that there\u2019s a new regulation cycle with the V8 [engine] coming in 2030 or 2031. You don\u2019t want to come in, build a car with this engine, spend all that money to build a car under this spec, and then two years later spend it all again \u2013 you\u2019re running two parallel projects at the same cost to build that car in the next car.\u201d<\/p>\n Formula 1 valuations soar<\/p>\n Team valuations are soaring, with even the cheapest of the 11 organisations worth over \u00a31bn. Crystal Palace and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson recently purchased a 15 per cent stake in Aston Martin at a $3.5bn valuation while CrowdStrike boss George Kurtz took a less than five per cent slice in Mercedes at a monster $6bn valuation.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n \t\t\tDrive to Survive renewed by Netflix as Formula 1 docuseries gets ninth season<\/a><\/p>\n Other recent investors<\/a> into the sport include the Qatar Investment Authority with Audi and Bahrain\u2019s sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, at McLaren.<\/p>\n A 12th team does not need the approval of the incumbents, Parker stated, adding that it is \u201ca matter for us and the FIA to agree what\u2019s right for the sport\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cCadillac just came in and they\u2019ve got plans to continue to invest over the coming years with a potential GM power unit as well,\u201d he added. \u201cSometimes it sounds petty because people look at our sport as a huge thing but going from 10 to 11, and then 11 to 12 \u2013 in terms of garage space, hospitality space, space in the pit lane, space in paddock \u2013 it is quite a headache for a number of our promoters.<\/p>\n Abu Dhabi finale?<\/p>\n \u201cBut Stefano [Domenicali, F1 chief] and Mohammed at the FIA have always been clear. If an offer came forward that would help grow the sport, help us grow in strategic markets, was an amazing brand and a proper investment \u2013 be it from an OEM [car maker<\/a>] or a major brand \u2013 then of course we\u2019d always look at it seriously.<\/p>\n \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean that the first person that says, \u2018I want to be the 12th team\u2019 will be successful or not, we\u2019d have to see. You read every day that someone\u2019s putting together a bid or there\u2019s someone who wants to buy a team, and teams are turning down offers into the billions.\u201d<\/p>\n Parker stated that the calendar is likely to stick at 24 races despite being allowed to hold 25 Grands Prix weekends \u2013 amid growing interest from the likes of South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda and Argentina to host races, which won\u2019t come at the expense of the number of European races \u2013 and the organisation is still planning to conclude the season in Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n