Mercedes F1 Representative “If Andretti brings Porsche, it’s another story”[F1-Gate.com]

-Toto Wolff, Mercedes F1 team principal, mentions the possibility of joining the 11th F1 team – Andretti. He said it would be a different story if he brought in a new F1 engine supplier: Porsche.

As F1 grows in popularity, so does the number of manufacturers wanting to enter. The Andretti Group has been trying to get into F1 since last year, but has so far been unsuccessful.

Audi and Porsche have instead confirmed their intention to participate as F1 engine builders from 2026.

Audi has officially announced its entry into F1 from 2026 and is said to be working to acquire the Sauber F1 team and participate as a factory team, and until recently Porsche was hoping for a 50-50 partnership with Red Bull. acquiring the shares had advanced but failed.

But it is precisely Andretti whose claims have been repeatedly denied by the FIA ​​(Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) and F1 teams.

Toto Wolff is Andretti’s biggest opponent, arguing that while he’s a big name that could appeal to more American audiences, it would also devalue the current F1 team.

But Toto Wolff first admitted some ground in the fight, saying it would be a different deal if a team like Andretti accepted a deal with a new F1 powertrain supplier.

There are currently four engine suppliers serving F1 teams. Mercedes, in addition to the official teams, powers Williams, McLaren and Aston Martin, the Honda engines of Redbu Powertrains power the Red Bull and AlphaTauri and Ferrari cars, in addition to the official teams, Haas and Fornito to Alfa Romeo. Renault builds its own engine for the Alpine F1 team.

“Formula 1 thrives because there are 10 teams, each with a different DNA, dedicated to Formula 1, most of which have spent billions of dollars over the years. This is what it is today. We made F1.” Wolff said.

“If a new team wants to join, anyone is free to make a proposal to the FIA ​​and the FIA ​​and Formula 1 will have to investigate whether the team is suitable for our business. So far no rice.

“If a team gets a new engine supplier and says this is what we want to do, then obviously it’s a completely different story and will raise other considerations. This is the team owner. That’s the point for me as a person: if the cake is big, it’s okay to share it. ”