Red Bull boss Christian Horner makes 'we're not paying for it' remark when questioned about Cadillac F1's entry as the 11th team
Red Bull's Christian Horner has made it clear that the rumored 11th F1 team making it to the grid would be welcomed by everyone but the logistical challenges won't be catered to by the teams. As soon as the Las Vegas GP race weekend began, there were reports circulating about how F1 might have made up its mind on welcoming an 11th team on the grid.
A process that was initiated by Andretti three years ago appears to have finally come to fruition. The clarity of why it happened in this manner isn't still there as no official statement has been made. However, the reporting from multiple credible publications means that it's almost a certainty that it's happening.
When the question was first raised a few years back when Andretti became the 11th F1 team on the grid, it led to a negative reaction from teams on the grid. The reason put forward at the time was that an 11th team would mean reduced revenue and that on some tracks an 11th garage in the paddock would be operationally difficult to facilitate.
As quoted by PlanetF1, the Red Bull boss made it clear that it's a question a lot of teams had. Horner said:
“There’s a lot of rumors going around. Nobody’s spoken to us about it, but who knows. Obviously, for an American team to come in, I think would be a positive. We’ve got Haas, but to have a big OEM — Ford vs. GM could be pretty sexy.”
The Red Bull boss added:
"It’s down to the commercial rights holder and the FIA, and like with all these things, it comes down to the finances and how it’s going to be funded, and how it’s going to be paid. As long as, logistically, they can be accommodated, we have absolutely no problem with seeing GM come here — but we’re not paying for it.”
Red Bull boss points out Zandvoort as a track where accommodating Cadillac would need work
Red Bull boss Christian Horner used the example of Zandvoort to wonder how an 11th team would be accommodated there.
While the new tracks that have become a part of the sport recently can easily accommodate an extra team, the older tracks would be a concern. Taking the example of Zandvoort, Horner said:
“Operationally, somewhere like Zandvoort, how does that work? So, we’ve got no issue with them coming. We welcome them with open arms, but you don’t want to see the prize fund diluted. It will be that question of, who’s side of the cake does it come out of?”
It appears that the entity that began the process of bringing an 11th team on the grid might not be the name with which it officially joins with. That's because 'Andretti' would be called "Cadillac F1," according to reports.