McLaren boss Andreas Seidl has outlined what he sees as the necessary requirements for Formula 1 to attract new manufacturers.
Currently, the sport only has four on the grid in Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda with the big corporations looking at alternatives like Formula E and WEC’s new ‘hypercar’ era.
F1 too is set to undergo big changes in 2021 with a budget cap, new cars and more currently in the final stages of being agreed, but all those that took an initial interest in joining have since walked away.
“I think it’s very difficult for a manufacturer to come in now,” Seidl told Austria’s Speed Week. “So I think it makes sense to have stable regulations from 2021 because we can already see that it leads to parity among the power units.”
Also Read:
- Brawn open to greater initial support for new engine manufacturers
- Porsche did create an engine with an eye on 2021 F1 entry
- Current F1 engines ‘incredible’ but way too technical – Racing Point
Porsche was one of the company’s considering an F1 return and the current McLaren boss was the former head of the WEC LMP1 program which ended in 2016.
Therefore, he is well-placed to offer guidance on where the sport should go if it wants to attract a big name back on the grid.
“The automotive industry is currently undergoing a change with electrification, that’s why I think we need to push the hybridisation with the next rule change,” he explained.
“And in order for F1 to be attractive as a sport, we have to make sure that the entry costs are much lower than they are today.
“At the moment we have to be realistic because it is difficult to imagine that a new manufacturer will invest as much money as is currently needed to compete with the current participants.
“The investment you would have to make with the infrastructure and the budget is enormous,” he noted.
If those areas can be addressed “then we can see if there is a chance to attract a new manufacturer to Formula 1,” Seidl concluded.