F1 doesn’t need more than 10 teams, Stefano Domenicali claims

There are currently 10 teams but Formula 1’s growing popularity worldwide has increased demand and interest

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has dismissed the prospect of increasing the number of teams in the sport due to the risk it would become “too crowded.”

There are currently 10 teams in F1 but the sport’s growing popularity worldwide - as highlighted by the record 24-race calendar for 2023 revealed on Tuesday - has increased demand and interest.

Audi have confirmed their entry from 2026 as a power unit supplier while fellow VW company Porsche are also exploring their options despite talks with Red Bull collapsing.

Furthermore, Daniel Ricciardo is among the drivers with their futures uncertain after he was dropped by McLaren and while former Ferrari boss Domenicali hoped the Australian “could find his place”, the Italian insists increasing the number of teams is not a priority for F1 currently.

“As always, you need to be balanced,” Domenicali told Sky F1 during the Dutch GP. “You need to see all the things that are around the table. Having more drivers... at the end of the day there is always a limit at which you can go.

“Adding one or two, you may open up some driving seats. But we need to also have the right dimension in what is successful for the sport.

“I think in that respect there is the evaluation of the sustainability of the team, the evaluation of not being too crowded with that. So I would say in terms of priority, it is not really a need for Formula 1 today.”

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has dismissed the prospect of increasing the number of teams in the sport (Getty Images)

There is a $200m entry fee into Formula 1 and Michael Andretti has been looking to bring another US team to the sport - yet Domenicali implored the need to be “balanced.”

“Now Formula 1 is extremely competitive but you need to be very strong in terms of financials, in terms of competence, and today this is one of the things that is crucial, to make sure the stability of the system will be for a long time,” he said.

“You see how difficult today it is to find people that really are the top quality in all the different business. I don’t think that today that is something we will be able to say with faith.

“I think that is the time that we need to invest for the future, but we need to be balanced. So I’m not saying that this will not happen, but we need to take it step by step.”