Tesla has a shot.
The FIA has officially opened the application process for new teams to enter the sport. The governing body for various forms of motorsport across the globe alluded to the application process earlier this year, and Andretti-Cadillac immediately threw their hat in the ring.
“The growth and appeal of the FIA Formula One World Championship is at unprecedented levels. The FIA believes the conditions are right for interested parties, which meet the selection criteria, to express a formal interest in entering the Championship,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The process of getting in will be challenging, however. New teams have to face extreme financial and technical analysis. They must also prove that they can meet Formula 1's sustainability targets and have a positive societal impact on the sport.
Considering the four essential criteria, Andretti-Cadillac is almost guaranteed a spot on the grid. Between Andretti Global and General Motors, it hits all the targets mentioned above.
Instead of rehashing the Andretti story, we thought we'd take a look at what other brands might join Formula 1. Remember that none of these automakers are confirmed. We also chose not to include Ford because Ford has already announced it will enter the sport as a powertrain supplier in partnership with Red Bull, joining an existing team and not fielding a new entry. Honda was also left out because it's already registered with the FIA.
Also, we're including four fantasy entrants. While the regulations only allow for three extra teams to join the grid and the application specifically mentions two, the Concorde Agreement will be updated in 2025 and could be updated to allow room for more teams on the grid. Keep in mind that previous agreements allowed for up to 34 cars on the grid. But in those days, if you didn't reach a specific target in qualifying, you were not allowed to enter the race. Bringing that rule back would make the sport more enjoyable.
We'd like to see at least 15 teams with two cars each, with four cars being eliminated before the race. Thirty cars are too many, but 26 would be prime.
The Formula 1 teams prefer to avoid new teams because it means less prize money, but if they're really interested in putting on a good show for the crowds, they need to get over this and get on board with the FIA.
Bugatti
We associate Bugatti with speed. Any modern Bugatti (including the Veyron) has a higher top speed than an F1 car. We'd also like to see Bugatti on the grid because it's French. The French have a rich motorsport history, and it's a sin that only one French team is currently participating. There are three British teams on the grid, not even counting all the teams headquartered in the UK.
The Chiron successor will be a hybrid, but it won't drop internal combustion just yet. There is a clear differentiation between the products offered by Bugatti Rimac, established in 2021. CEO Mate Rimac has a clear vision for both companies, and Bugatti's future includes ICE, while Rimac will continue to build bonkers EV hypercars.
Considering the 2026 F1 regulations will require the cars to be 50% ICE and 50% EV, imagine what these two companies combined can come up with.
BMW
While there have been rumors of BMW shopping around, they died pretty quickly.
The reason we want BMW back so badly is the existence of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team. We already know Audi is returning in 2026, so having the German big tree duke it out at the pinnacle of motorsport would be a treat.
BMW is also at the forefront of electrification, and F1 will be an excellent platform to convince customers to buy an electric performance car like the inevitable BMW M3 EV.
The German brand has made it clear that it will not give up on internal combustion, and F1 would give it the opportunity to showcase its ICE and EV prowess. Unfortunately, BMW M's boss ruled out F1 because it doesn't want to wait that long to show what it can do. That's why BMW is entering the LMDh category in Endurance Racing instead.
But never say never. Who saw Cadillac's F1 entry coming?
Hyundai
There are no South Korean teams on the grid, and F1 needs a team from that side of the world. Hyundai is also one of the teams rumored to be shopping around, but nothing is confirmed.
There is some merit to this rumor. Hyundai has been hitting it out of the park with its N models. The Veloster N was a revelation, and the Elantra N is a proper little rally car for the road. Hyundai is also working on a series of electric and hydrogen-powered N models, which is why we think it would be a good fit.
The first of these electric performance models will be the Ioniq 5 N. What better way to convince battery pack haters to change their minds than equipping an F1 car with the same battery pack used in the road car? For once, there would be an actual real-world application for F1 tech.
And, who could forget that the man that pioneered the N division – Albert Biermann – was the same man in charge of BMW M when BMW was last in F1.
Tesla
Traditional F1 fans probably just had an aneurysm. To those who died, we apologize but hear us out.
Tesla is widely known for having the best battery technology in the industry. The Model S is over a decade old, yet it continues to beat the upstarts. The Plaid models also indicate that Tesla wants to be known as a performance brand.
Still, the famous EV maker would need to team up with another manufacturer to produce the ICE component of the F1 car's power unit. Splitting the cost would make it easier to enter F1, but who could Tesla approach to provide gas power? We'd go with another manufacturer known for making stupid fast cars. Hennessey has produced some blistering vehicles over the years, but it likely doesn't have the same budget as McLaren.
With Tesla and Hennessey teaming up, America would have a team that both hippies and die-hard V8 lovers could support. It will be the only thing democrats and republicans can agree on, but hey, it's a start.
Keyword: F1 Has Opened Entries For 2 New Teams; Here Are 4 Brands We Want To See Enter Formula 1