Brundle gives compelling Verstappen reason for TWELVE F1 teams

Martin Brundle has said that Max Verstappen and other drivers having long-term deals in the sport is a reason for there to be up to 12 teams on the Formula 1 grid.

It comes after Andretti Cadillac had their bid to enter as the 11th team for 2026 rejected by Formula One Management (FOM), as they believed they offered no value to the other teams or the sport in general.

The FIA had given the team approval back in October, with president Mohammed Ben Sulayem previously stating that he is pushing for the sport to fill out the 12 grid slots that are available.

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There has not been an 11th team in F1 since 2016, after Manor departed the sport at the end of the season, and there has not been a 12-team grid since 2012 after HRT folded.

Brundle: I would love to see twelve teams in F1

Speaking with Sky Sports F1 about his thoughts on Andretti’s failed bid, Brundle stated that he would love to see more teams on the grid and used Verstappen and other drivers’ long-term contracts with the same team as the reason to spice things up.

“I would love there to be an 11th and indeed a 12th team on the grid, not least because drivers like Verstappen, Leclerc, Lando Norris, and others, and George Russell at Mercedes have signed up for a very long time stay in the same teams.

”This does put the FIA head-to-head with Formula One management and Liberty media because FIA has said yes and F1 have said no to what they referred to in that document as an 11th team, rather than necessarily Andretti, and quite rightly saying that for Andretti as a new team - novice as they call them - to build a brand new car for 2025 and then when the regulations change fundamentally for 2026 to start all over again; it's too much of a tall order.

“They think they won't be competitive. Andretti will no doubt say 'well give us a chance, we are a mighty organisation with a lot of funding, we will show you what we can do and look at some of the other teams on the grid.'"

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