Another Formula 1 team? Possibly — and it could come from China. That was the message recently delivered by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who stated that the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile is open to considering a new Expression of Interest to bring a twelfth team onto the grid. This announcement comes just as Formula 1 prepares to welcome Cadillac–Andretti as the eleventh official team in 2026.
On paper, this proposal aligns perfectly with Formula 1’s modern push for global expansion — tapping into new markets, generating fresh commercial opportunities, and capturing new audiences. And China, with its vast economy and increasing interest in motorsport, represents a strategic opportunity that Liberty Media and Formula One Management are unlikely to ignore.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem made his position clear: “If there is a Chinese team and FOM approves it — and I’m sure they will — wouldn’t that be a profitable move? I believe it would.”
However, before we even ask who the twelfth team might be, we should perhaps ask a more fundamental question: does it still make sense, at this moment, to continue expanding the Formula 1 grid? Because while the sport is clearly growing commercially, the signs of a decline in fan engagement and emotional investment are becoming harder to ignore.
The statistics are stark: Italian television audiences have steadily turned away from Formula 1. During the golden era of Michael Schumacher, race broadcasts would draw over 13 million viewers per event. Today, the average struggles to exceed 2.4 million. The shift to pay-per-view, introduced in 2013, has created a major barrier, especially for younger audiences or those unable to afford dedicated subscriptions. This change marked a clear divide and made live racing much less accessible for the public.
At the same time, as Formula 1 increases its presence in the Middle East and the United States, adds new races, plans more teams, and chases new demographics, there’s a growing risk of alienating the long-time fans — those who have followed the sport with passion for decades. Even Ben Sulayem himself has admitted: “The drivers tell me: please, don’t add more races.” That’s not just a sign of fatigue with the busy calendar — it might reflect a deeper issue with how the sport is now being conceived and marketed.
The truth is that adding a twelfth team — possibly Chinese — is an exciting prospect, but it cannot be a decision driven solely by financial motives. What Formula 1 needs is a competitive team that brings something new to the grid and genuinely adds to the spectacle. Simply filling another slot on the starting grid isn’t enough. As FIA President Ben Sulayem emphasized, “We don’t want to disrupt the existing teams, but it has to be worth it. Not just financially, but for the long-term sustainability of the championship.”
That is the real issue. Formula 1 can continue to grow, globalize, and forge high-profile partnerships with brands like Disney and Lego. It can keep building glamorous Grand Prix circuits in desert locations and push toward a hyper-commercial future. But before all that, the sport needs to ask itself why many of its fans — especially in Europe — are starting to walk away.
The answer might be simpler than it seems: too many races, too many restrictions, too much focus on business, and too little on the passion. Before adding new teams, new venues, and new sponsors, Formula 1 must reconnect with the very essence of the sport — the raw emotion and excitement that once made fans stay up all night to witness an overtaking move, that made a whole country cheer together, that sparked conversations at local cafés and flags on balconies.
A twelfth team might arrive. It might be from China. It might even be competitive. But the real issue today is not who is coming in — it’s who is leaving. The fans. And bringing them back should be Formula 1’s top priority.
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