Wolff cities “creativity” as only criterium for a new F1 team

Asked what a new team needs to show in order to secure the support of rival F1 outfits, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff claims that creativity is the most important feature a new entry needs to demonstrate.

Formula 1 announced this week that it approved General Motors as an eleventh team starting in 2026, after the US car giant reached an agreement in principle to enter the pinnacle of motorsport with its Cadillac brand.

In addition, the US car giant is also launching an F1 power unit that will put the Cadillac Formula 1 Team on the path to being a “full works” team — building its own F1 vehicles and power units — by the end of the decade. The agreement means that Cadillac would be the first new team to join F1 since 2016 and the eleventh team on the grid.

The announcement meant a stunning turn of events, as the Andretti-led bid to join the grid in 2026 was accepted by the FIA but turned down by F1 itself in February on the grounds the new squad would not bring enough additional value to the sport.

Ahead of the announcement, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was asked about what the sport requires from a new entry. The Austrian reckoned that any new team that intents to enter the pinnacle of motorsport needs to show creativity in order to secure the support of rival outfits.

“We have an obligation, a statutory obligation as directors to present the standpoint that is the best for our company and for our employees, and we’ve done that so in the past. I think if a team can add to the championship, particularly if GM decides to come in as a team owner, that is a different story.

“And as long as it is creative, that means we’re growing the popularity of the sport, we’re growing the revenue of the sport, then no team will be ever against it. So I’m putting my hope in there. No one from Andretti or Andretti global or whatever the name will be has ever spoken to me a single sentence in presentation of what the accretive part is. But they don’t need to because the teams don’t decide.

“It is the commercial rights holder, with the FIA, we have no say. We can have an opinion, like I’m having here now, it’s just if i want to be invited to a party and going to the party, I’m sitting down on the table and telling who I am and why I’m really good fun and sitting here and everybody will enjoy my presence.

“That hasn’t happened, but you know, that’s now my personal point of view, not a professional, because there’s nothing we can do, nothing we can say. And I don’t know the people. I’ve obviously spoken to Mario. Yeah, I’ve spoken to Mario once. I didn’t speak to his son. I didn’t speak to any other people that are behind that. I don’t know who they are. So I know GM. GM is great,” concluded Wolff.