Williams Is Adamant Andretti Shouldn’t Be Allowed Onto The F1 Grid

Posted on October 6, 2023 | by Dre Harrison With the news this week that the FIA has approved Andretti’s bid to be F1’s 11th team as early as 2025, it was inevitable that the current teams would be asked about it… and the responses have been spicy! ???? James Vowles team boss at Williams, a team currently seventh in the constructors’ standings and a team that’s had well-documented financial struggles in recent years, was among those to be asked. Speaking to Sky Sports before qualifying, he documented why it’s those same financial strains that make him adamant that he doesn’t want Andretti as F1’s 11th team. “Laying it down in the easiest way, we’re incredibly lossy, our accounts have been submitted, you can see them, we lost 20 million last year.”, said Vowles. “You won’t see it for another year but the accounts for 2023 you’re going to see that number go up by multiples. We’re investing in this sport because we’re believing in this sport.  “What we said from the outset is absolutely have an 11th team but let’s grow the pot so it makes financial sense, not shrink the pot which is what this is going to do quite significantly.” When asked if an anti-dilution fee increase (it’s currently at $200 million) would compensate for a competitive new team, Vowles disagreed saying: “The dilution fee covers off just one portion of it, it doesn’t cover off the sponsorship element of it for example. It doesn’t cover off the potential reduction.”  “At the moment owners are pouring money into the sport, the same won’t be true in certain circumstances. The sport is growing in strength as a result of it. What I’m actually suggesting is make the sport incredibly strong and then add to it. Not take it at the point where it’s just starting to become strong.” When Sky pressed Vowles on the fans’ opinions (posting a poll saying 84% of their audience said they approve of an 11th team), and accused the teams of being greedy, Vowles didn’t back down on it: “At the moment I have 900 employees that I’m responsible for.  “They go home and pay a mortgage and I want to keep 900 employees and I want to keep paying their bills. It’s sporting [reasons] because we’re investing tens and hundreds of millions into this organisation, that’s why it’s sporting. That’s why Williams are moving up the field.” Strong words from the Williams team boss, who wants to protect the back of the grid more than add Andretti to an “unstable” paddock… Is Vowles right? Should the sport look to protect the current teams over adding Andretti?