Formula 1 could soon see a twelfth team join the grid, following the recent approval of Cadillac's entry for 2026.
After a prolonged battle with F1's commercial rights holder, Liberty Media, and resistance from the current ten teams, Cadillac—previously known as Andretti—finally secured a place in the championship.
F1 legend Gerhard Berger remains puzzled by the opposition to the American-backed entry.
"I didn't understand it," Berger told Auto Motor und Sport when asked about Liberty Media's reluctance.
"Maybe there's something in the background that I don't know about. What more could you want than an American team with an American driver and the power of Cadillac behind it? Yes, Cadillac takes a bit of money away from the other teams, but it also brings in new sponsors.
"A better solution should have been found rather than arguing for two years," Berger added.
The FIA, under the leadership of its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has consistently backed Andretti-Cadillac's bid. Now, Ben Sulayem is hinting that F1 could go a step further by welcoming a twelfth team to the grid.
"We are very aware that I suffered a big attack because of the eleventh team," Ben Sulayem said. "But now we have an eleventh team.
"Was it necessary to go through all that mess to have it? I don't think so," he added. "There were clear regulations, and we are even allowed to have twelve teams.
Are we going to have twelve? If the right team comes, the FIA will open the expression of interest. We are not afraid of anyone.
"We will do what is right for the FIA."
