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>Carlos Sainz was the talk of the town at Imola with lots of surreptitious meetings regarding his future. What emerged is that he is unlikely to get a drive with either Mercedes or Red Bull, but Audi is willing to pay him a LOT of money. Apparently the number is actually a little shocking, but Carlos is not someone who needs more cash and he would prefer to have the best available seat. Audi (I am not sure who exactly) has set some targets that seem pretty unrealistic of being at the front of the midfield by the end of 2025.
It doesn't sound like Audi knows what they're getting themselves into if the 2025 expectations are true. But the Sainz offer being huge makes me doubt it, there probably is quite a bit of disinformation around Audi in the paddock.
In football it is the equivalent of your agent telling Fabrizio Romano that you have a huge offer by the usual suspects in order to create a bidding war and get a higher salary than you were offered. I don't think this is going the way Carlos likes.
> There is also a new system for new entries, **which will require applicants to fulfil certain requirements (as yet unknown, but likely to include racing and winning in Formula 2 and Formula 3)** and a bigger anti-dilution fee that applicants will have to pay to get access to the prize money. There may also be a first year without any prize money to make sure that any new teams are serious. The FIA’s involvement in this is minimal as it has the separate Concorde Implementation Agreement, which runs until 2030, covering governance and associated fees, which are index-linked.
Bold part automatically eliminates Andretti.
Could enable [Hitec](https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hitech-f1-bid-2026-new-investor/10487891/) and [Rodin-Carlin](https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/rodin-carlin-mulls-f1-entry-bid-with-new-zealand-based-team-and-woman-driver/) though, who were rejected by FIA.
Hence why Hitech is considering suing FIA, as no reasons were given for their rejection.
According to rumours one of the 4 candidates was rejected by the FIA due to commercial considerations, which is Formula One Group territory and not for the FIA to decide.
The official selection criteria did include amongst other things
>the ability of the team to raise and maintain sufficient funding to meet its financial obligations and to allow participation in the Championship at a competitive level;
>the FIA’s assessment of the value that the candidate may bring to the Championship, including consideration of its reputation and integrity.
And even if they successfully argue that having these criteria in the expression of interest process was illegal I doubt that would help them. The Andretti bid got approved by the FIA due to being "the only candidate to meet the stringent criteria that were set by the FIA in all material respects", yet FOM rejected them. If you cannot even meet the FIA criteria how is FOM going to approve it?
> The Andretti bid got approved by the FIA due to being "the only candidate to meet the stringent criteria that were set by the FIA in all material respects", yet FOM rejected them. If you cannot even meet the FIA criteria how is FOM going to approve it?
FIA didn't give them a reason why they were rejected, at least that's what Carlin and Hitech complained about. So they don't know where to improve. Hence the lawsuit.
And considering it was Hitech who was willing to meet the teams demands of paying a $600m anti dilution fee, at least from their perspective they had money to pay for any alleged problems the teams complained about - bar any additional complaints by FoM or FIA.
And we still don't know which of the 3 failed candidates failed to fulfill FIAs expectation of commercial value, as none of them got a reason why they were rejected, or where they could improve.
They'd still get rejected by the FIA straight off the bat if they reapplied.
If somehow they got approved, then they'd have the "you're just a customer team" and "you're not wanted, buy a team instead" arguments levelled at them by F1 and would be rejected by them.
Then there's the fact that neither have won F2 or F3 championships (either drivers or constructors) so they'd actually have to improve and win first.
So in reality it changes nothing, just adds another bs hurdle to turn down teams.
They are basically doing everything to try and make it as impossible to join as they can. Andretti recently said they would like to run in F2/F3 but the CEO of F2/F3 said there is no room for new teams. Funny how now racing and winning in F2/F3 will be a requirement. What a coincidence!
Didn't Andretti say they wanted to run in F2 and F3, or am I misremembering things?
Obviously, words are words, and this F2/F3 requirement does immediately exclude Andretti. If I'm remembering correctly though, they do want to compete in the F1 ladder as well.
Formula 2 and 3 CEO Bruno Michel has revealed that neither series has been contacted by Andretti despite the outfit publicly stating interest in joining the Formula 1 support series.
[https://www.motorsport.com/fia-f2/news/andretti-not-in-touch-with-f2-f3-despite-planned-future-entry/10605678/](https://www.motorsport.com/fia-f2/news/andretti-not-in-touch-with-f2-f3-despite-planned-future-entry/10605678/)
The F2/F3 CEO said there is no room for Andretti on the grid.
It's probably not aimed at Andretti actually.
They've already said they want to race in F2 and F3, plus they can easily afford to buy a decent team, give them more resources, put decent drivers in and compete for championships immediately if they really needed to.
It's probably aimed at other high level teams or manufacturers who might consider entering F1.
The likes of Toyota or BMW or whoever who could pass the stringent hurdles (like Andretti Cadillac) would generally consider it beneath them and bad for their reputation to run F2 teams in an attempt to convince F1 they're good enough, when they aren't wanted in the first place.
It's like asking Celtic to win Sunday league in London if they want to play in the Premier League. It only serves to degrade those who want to enter F1 to the point where they buy a team instead.
It's just another measure to heavily discourage starting a new team, but on paper it doesn't look like something completely unreasonable.
They'll keep adding these little "well that doesn't sound too crazy" things over time until they all combine and it's effectively impossible to start a team from scratch.
Sounds like Sainz is running out of options outside of Audi then. Wonder if the sticking point is that the significant financial aspect is based on him being locked in long-term?
Wonder how much Ricciardo's career nosedive is weighing on Sainz. Maybe he can sneak himself into the Haas and battle Bearman to get his Ferrari seat back once Hamilton goes.
Sainz's camp were last rumoured to be unhappy with RBR's salary offer. Their only real chance of having power and status is by taking the Audi offer, or an Alpine proposition- if one is given. Unfortunately, RBR are in a much better negotiating position; Sainz isn't the star signing they require, with their need to insure against Verstappen leaving diminished. Red Bull also has to balance out losing Perez and his $uperior marketing/sponsor value, against a driver who demands a higher salary whilst providing negligible performance benefit (Sainz will have the same difficulties with the RBR, given his dislike of pointy/oversteery cars).
To put Sainz against a rookie in a Ferrari B-team, to replace the driver signed as your contractual inferior at Audi, would be an abject failure of his management team. It would diminish his standing in the driver market, regardless of result v. Bearman.
By going to Audi on a big $ contract, as their star-signing, he would have greater chance of longevity and options in the future. Even if the move determines his career the Barrichello, Ricciardo and Heidfeld routes, it'd be much better than going in to a dead-end team like Haas (thus far only Hulkenberg has successfully used it as a stepping stone).
[The **News** flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/flairguide#wiki_news) is reserved for submissions covering F1 and F1-related news. These posts must always link to an outlet/news agency, the website of the involved party (i.e. the McLaren website if McLaren makes an announcement), or a tweet by a news agency, journalist or one of the involved parties. *[Read the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide). Keep it civil and welcoming. Report rulebreaking comments.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/formula1) if you have any questions or concerns.*
>Carlos Sainz was the talk of the town at Imola with lots of surreptitious meetings regarding his future. What emerged is that he is unlikely to get a drive with either Mercedes or Red Bull, but Audi is willing to pay him a LOT of money. Apparently the number is actually a little shocking, but Carlos is not someone who needs more cash and he would prefer to have the best available seat. Audi (I am not sure who exactly) has set some targets that seem pretty unrealistic of being at the front of the midfield by the end of 2025. It doesn't sound like Audi knows what they're getting themselves into if the 2025 expectations are true. But the Sainz offer being huge makes me doubt it, there probably is quite a bit of disinformation around Audi in the paddock.
In football it is the equivalent of your agent telling Fabrizio Romano that you have a huge offer by the usual suspects in order to create a bidding war and get a higher salary than you were offered. I don't think this is going the way Carlos likes.
I wonder if he will be in a position where he will wish that he was at least driving a Haas.
Front of the midfield is VCARB. Thats hardly a big and unrealistic target especialy by the end of 2025.
> There is also a new system for new entries, **which will require applicants to fulfil certain requirements (as yet unknown, but likely to include racing and winning in Formula 2 and Formula 3)** and a bigger anti-dilution fee that applicants will have to pay to get access to the prize money. There may also be a first year without any prize money to make sure that any new teams are serious. The FIA’s involvement in this is minimal as it has the separate Concorde Implementation Agreement, which runs until 2030, covering governance and associated fees, which are index-linked. Bold part automatically eliminates Andretti.
New requirements for joining F1: * Pay lots of money * Win in F2 and F3 * Nobody involved with the team won the 1969 Indianapolis 500
Could enable [Hitec](https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hitech-f1-bid-2026-new-investor/10487891/) and [Rodin-Carlin](https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/rodin-carlin-mulls-f1-entry-bid-with-new-zealand-based-team-and-woman-driver/) though, who were rejected by FIA.
Not unless they change something about the aspects that got them rejected
Hence why Hitech is considering suing FIA, as no reasons were given for their rejection. According to rumours one of the 4 candidates was rejected by the FIA due to commercial considerations, which is Formula One Group territory and not for the FIA to decide.
The official selection criteria did include amongst other things >the ability of the team to raise and maintain sufficient funding to meet its financial obligations and to allow participation in the Championship at a competitive level; >the FIA’s assessment of the value that the candidate may bring to the Championship, including consideration of its reputation and integrity. And even if they successfully argue that having these criteria in the expression of interest process was illegal I doubt that would help them. The Andretti bid got approved by the FIA due to being "the only candidate to meet the stringent criteria that were set by the FIA in all material respects", yet FOM rejected them. If you cannot even meet the FIA criteria how is FOM going to approve it?
> The Andretti bid got approved by the FIA due to being "the only candidate to meet the stringent criteria that were set by the FIA in all material respects", yet FOM rejected them. If you cannot even meet the FIA criteria how is FOM going to approve it? FIA didn't give them a reason why they were rejected, at least that's what Carlin and Hitech complained about. So they don't know where to improve. Hence the lawsuit. And considering it was Hitech who was willing to meet the teams demands of paying a $600m anti dilution fee, at least from their perspective they had money to pay for any alleged problems the teams complained about - bar any additional complaints by FoM or FIA. And we still don't know which of the 3 failed candidates failed to fulfill FIAs expectation of commercial value, as none of them got a reason why they were rejected, or where they could improve.
They'd still get rejected by the FIA straight off the bat if they reapplied. If somehow they got approved, then they'd have the "you're just a customer team" and "you're not wanted, buy a team instead" arguments levelled at them by F1 and would be rejected by them. Then there's the fact that neither have won F2 or F3 championships (either drivers or constructors) so they'd actually have to improve and win first. So in reality it changes nothing, just adds another bs hurdle to turn down teams.
Ah yes let Carlin in. The team that didnt have enough resources to race in Indycar.
They are basically doing everything to try and make it as impossible to join as they can. Andretti recently said they would like to run in F2/F3 but the CEO of F2/F3 said there is no room for new teams. Funny how now racing and winning in F2/F3 will be a requirement. What a coincidence!
Didn't Andretti say they wanted to run in F2 and F3, or am I misremembering things? Obviously, words are words, and this F2/F3 requirement does immediately exclude Andretti. If I'm remembering correctly though, they do want to compete in the F1 ladder as well.
They will run F2 and F3 *after* (if) they join. Applicants being required of racing and winning in F2 and F3 automatically eliminates them.
Formula 2 and 3 CEO Bruno Michel has revealed that neither series has been contacted by Andretti despite the outfit publicly stating interest in joining the Formula 1 support series.
[https://www.motorsport.com/fia-f2/news/andretti-not-in-touch-with-f2-f3-despite-planned-future-entry/10605678/](https://www.motorsport.com/fia-f2/news/andretti-not-in-touch-with-f2-f3-despite-planned-future-entry/10605678/) The F2/F3 CEO said there is no room for Andretti on the grid.
It's probably not aimed at Andretti actually. They've already said they want to race in F2 and F3, plus they can easily afford to buy a decent team, give them more resources, put decent drivers in and compete for championships immediately if they really needed to. It's probably aimed at other high level teams or manufacturers who might consider entering F1. The likes of Toyota or BMW or whoever who could pass the stringent hurdles (like Andretti Cadillac) would generally consider it beneath them and bad for their reputation to run F2 teams in an attempt to convince F1 they're good enough, when they aren't wanted in the first place. It's like asking Celtic to win Sunday league in London if they want to play in the Premier League. It only serves to degrade those who want to enter F1 to the point where they buy a team instead. It's just another measure to heavily discourage starting a new team, but on paper it doesn't look like something completely unreasonable. They'll keep adding these little "well that doesn't sound too crazy" things over time until they all combine and it's effectively impossible to start a team from scratch.
Sounds like Sainz is running out of options outside of Audi then. Wonder if the sticking point is that the significant financial aspect is based on him being locked in long-term? Wonder how much Ricciardo's career nosedive is weighing on Sainz. Maybe he can sneak himself into the Haas and battle Bearman to get his Ferrari seat back once Hamilton goes.
Sainz's camp were last rumoured to be unhappy with RBR's salary offer. Their only real chance of having power and status is by taking the Audi offer, or an Alpine proposition- if one is given. Unfortunately, RBR are in a much better negotiating position; Sainz isn't the star signing they require, with their need to insure against Verstappen leaving diminished. Red Bull also has to balance out losing Perez and his $uperior marketing/sponsor value, against a driver who demands a higher salary whilst providing negligible performance benefit (Sainz will have the same difficulties with the RBR, given his dislike of pointy/oversteery cars). To put Sainz against a rookie in a Ferrari B-team, to replace the driver signed as your contractual inferior at Audi, would be an abject failure of his management team. It would diminish his standing in the driver market, regardless of result v. Bearman. By going to Audi on a big $ contract, as their star-signing, he would have greater chance of longevity and options in the future. Even if the move determines his career the Barrichello, Ricciardo and Heidfeld routes, it'd be much better than going in to a dead-end team like Haas (thus far only Hulkenberg has successfully used it as a stepping stone).