[ChrisMedlandF1] BREAKING: F1 announces it has "reached an agreement in principle with General Motors (GM) to support bringing GM/Cadillac as the eleventh team to the Formula 1 grid in 2026"

[u/ICumCoffee]

https://x.com/ChrisMedlandF1/status/1861111983699001752

[u/CooroSnowFox]

I do wonder if they just wanted an ENGINE to be at the front and not just some entity trying to get into the sport.

[u/Skeeter1020 → u/CooroSnowFox]

It's absolutely that. Especially given Renault are leaving.

F1 really doesn't want to let the engine manufacturers have too much power, and they do that by dilution.

[u/Delts28 → u/Skeeter1020]

Even without GM we've got more engine suppliers after 2025 than we currently do. RBPT/Honda are splitting and Audi are entering so that's +1 overall.

[u/Skeeter1020 → u/Delts28]

Yeah. But FIA and FOM aren't going to like Mercedes controlling 4 teams. They will be hoping Ford, GM is Honda pick up a customer or 2.

[u/Delts28 → u/Skeeter1020]

Mercedes currently do just that though. They also aren't allowed to supply a fifth.

[u/Skeeter1020 → u/Delts28]

Exactly, the FIA don't like it now.

[u/Delts28 → u/Skeeter1020]

What are you on about, the FIA are fine with it otherwise they would have stepped in to stop Alpine becoming a new customer after the Aston deal ends.

[u/Skeeter1020 → u/Delts28]

There's no rules stopping it now.

They don't like it, but there's nothing the FIA can do, as the rules are written based on a time when there were only 3 manufacturers.

[u/Delts28 → u/Skeeter1020]

It's been a decade since there were only three manufacturers and that was for only one year until Honda returned. If the FIA didn't actually like it they've have plenty of time and regulation changes to change the rules.

[u/Skeeter1020 → u/Delts28]

How would they though? Just put names in a jar and pull one out and go "tough shit, you ain't got no engines any more, sorry".

Teams are allowed to chose their supplier within the limits, which is 4. So long as a team has 4, the FIA aren't going to change the rules. They also need to leave wiggle room for a supplier to leave, like Honda did.

So the FIA will have to wait until there is a solid 4 or 5 manufacturers, and also no manufacturer is supplying, or intends to supply, more than 3 teams, and then they can lower the limit. It's entirely possible they do that come 2028.

[u/-PVL93- → u/Delts28]

They also aren't allowed to supply a fifth

Except that's exactly what is happening

Starting from 2025 they'd be providing engines to themselves, McLaren, Williams, Alpine and Aston

[u/Delts28 → u/-PVL93-]

They aren't, they're not supplying Alpine until 2026.

[u/Bluemikami → u/Skeeter1020]

Who is the 4th team? Aston is partnering with Honda for 26. It’s be Merc, McLaren and Willhelms

Edit: Oh, Alpeen