Why governing body's risky strategy could rev up standoff with F1

The FIA never had a real reason to block Andretti's entry. Every F1 track can support a maximum of 26 drivers, so nothing about the sport's regulations will change with the addition of a few new competitors. But existing F1 teams, led by Domenicali, hate the idea of an expanded grid. More teams mean a smaller share of the F1 prize money — and that's a tough pill to swallow when teams need every penny they can get. 

The only F1 team that supports an expanded grid is Alpine, and its support is entirely self-serving. New entries like Andretti will likely use Alpine engines and chassis when they debut.

The FIA blocked Andretti's entry in the past simply to build relationships with the existing F1 teams. But as F1's popularity has grown, the FIA's popularity has shrunk massively in turn. Fans struggle with the FIA's heavy-handed, complex and often inscrutable regulations, even while enjoying the sport itself. Just look at the controversial finish of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021 for proof. No one, not even the drivers, fully understood what the FIA was thinking.

By allowing teams like Andretti into F1, the FIA wins on two fronts. It earns back some love and respect from the F1 fandom, nearly all of whom support an expanded grid. And it reminds F1 that no matter how popular the sport becomes, the FIA will still be the body making the big decisions.

It's a risky strategy, one that could lead to a schism in motorsport between the series and its rule-making authority. But for the FIA, it appears to be a risk worth taking.