"Nobody's looking east" - Asian F1 team readying itself for FIA's Expression of Interest process

Prospective Asian F1 team Panthera Racing is looking forward to applying for the FIA's expression of interest for new teams on the grid. FIA has initiated the process where prospective teams can send their expression of Interest to join the F1 grid.

The process is supposed to be very exhaustive where both the short-term and long-term viability of the team, its finances, its ability to succeed and various other factors will be evaluated. Talking to PlanetF1, team principal and co-founder of Panthera Racing Benjamin Durand confirmed that they were “working on” their Expression of Interest bid.

Durand has been a vocal advocate for the sport to look east where Asia and Africa could prove to be major markets. He stated:

“We still think that the Asian market and Chinese market are the next markets to be developed. They are all looking west, nobody’s looking east. Now Formula 1 is focusing a lot on the US which is normal because it’s growing but once that market is there, Asia and Africa are the next big market for F1, especially now that Zhou [Guanyu] is in the Championship. It’s been a rollercoaster. We could have given up a long time ago on this project, but we believe in it.”

GM and Andretti working on the Expression of Interest to join F1

The General Motors-Andretti partnership is working diligently to prepare its expression of interest bid as invited by the FIA. As reported by the FIA, a spokesperson from GM stated that the entity was confident that the racing competency of the two parties and the American team is going to heighten the enthusiasm for the sport globally. The spokesperson told PlanetF1.com.

“The FIA is being very diligent, transparent and fair in their evaluation of expanding the grid. With the release of the Call for Expressions of Interest, we are diligently working to respond. We feel strongly that GM and Andretti’s deep racing competencies form a distinctly American team that will heighten enthusiasm for racing, globally.”

It is certainly a very interesting development that a team from Asia has also thrown its name in the hat. Having said that, one fact that does not change is how much of an impact it will have on the stance taken by various teams including Mercedes, Red Bull, and Haas. Will they change their stance and welcome new teams? Or will they continue to not be in favor of a new team on the grid? It is a quandary that needs to be solved before any prospective team throws its name in the hat.