I was earlier this evening meditating and for some reason my mind overruled my meditation. It kept on saying what happened with all those rumoured teams from the last 10ish years. Why did they not appear on the grid, and why did Panthera change it’s name to LKY SUNZ only to disappear in thin air as well. I obeyed my thoughts, stopped meditating, and settled in front of my laptop and started writing this article. Where are they now, where are those rumoured teams from the last 10 years. More interestingly, my conclusion if it is even plausible we will have real new teams on the grid in the future.
Let’s get back before the Covid-19 pandemic, which ruined everything in this world, there were plenty of teams/groups that appeared in the media ready to enter the Formula One. At that time you didn’t yet to have almost a billion euro’s to even been allowed to be on the grid. This rule only came so teams like Williams and Racing Point (now Aston Martin) would keep their money and wouldn’t miss the boat financially.
Stefan Grand Prix is one of the teams that used to appear on the surface to make a bid to enter the Formula One. I actually hoped back in 2010 they would be allowed to enter. Their package seemed to be really good with the Toyota acquirement. Another shame is Manor Racing that could not stand and had to leave the Formula One in 2016. Their car for 2017 the MRT 06 looked promising.
There were back in 2017 also two attempts, one serious, from Chinese teams. China F1 Racing Team Ltd. Appeared in December 2017 in the media that they were ready to appear on the grid in 2019. The team even tried to take over some team members from Red Bull Racing as Christian Horner back in December 2017 stated. Eventually the team lacked a proper financial balance. To this day I have no clue who the second Chinese attempt was only little know. An investment group (with no name) was interested to enter in 2019 or 2020 with a Spanish Formula Two team.
In 2017, there was also a more serious attempt from a Portuguese team called Correia Racing. I happen to know the guy who took the initiative for this attempt. João Correia (former Manor Racing) actually contacted me during the pandemic period that he was working on his own team in the sport. I really would have liked it for my friend to have his Correia Racing on the grid.
Believe it or not, Bernie Ecclestone appeared in 2018 in the Media stating that he would bring the legendary Brabham name back. Back in 2008/09 when the FIA opened the application for new teams, with the promise of the budget-cap (jokes are on you) the name Brabham already appeared in the rumoured circuit. Yet, Bernie seemed to be for real in 2018. It seems that the financial aspect was the biggest problem here. Still I want to believe this will happen eventually!
Then in 2019, a year before the pandemic. There was Panthera Team Asia F1 who were serious at first I dare to say. They appeared in the media, appeared in podcasts and it seemed 2021 or 2022 was their goal. Then Covid-19 happened and there was no possibility to enter the grid. Their last statement was that their goal was now to enter the sport in 2026 with their own team, this did not materialise at all. It seems Panthera disappeared in thin air. Until LKYSUNZ appeared out of nowhere in the news back in 2023. They were active on social media, had (still have) accounts on X and Facebook though nothing seems to have happened after 2023. When you visit their website now it only says LKYSUNZ.
Yet there were two more rumoured teams. Campos Racing with perhaps the backing of Monaco Increase Management was looking for an entry in 2021. The team was in 2017 (probably) also on the sight of the unknown Chinese investment group. Campos Racing is not unknown in the F1, as they already appeared on the grid in 2009 only to appear on the grid in 2010 as HRT. That same time MIM also had the intention to enter the Formula One on it’s own as a team. Besides some article on their website, this did not happen either. They keep on continuing supporting Wehrlein.
The other team was SMP Racing their plan was to enter, probably, as an all-Russian team in the sport. Back in 2019 Liberty Media stated that there were no applicants known while SMP stated they did. However, after Russia invaded Ukraine I don’t expect to see SMP Racing soon.
Fast forward to 2021 Monaco F1 Racing Team (MIM) stated that they were looking to enter the Formula One. The 200million entry fee was not a problem for them. The original plan was to use the infrastructure from Campos. However, after Adrián Campos passed away in 2021 it was unsure what this would mean for Monaco F1. Their scheduled plan was now to debut in 2023.
I might have forgotten some attempts from the last four years as, to be fair, I lost my interest regarding todays Formula One. Yet, in July 2025, the news appeared that a 24-year-old investor wants to bring back Caterham on the grid. To be fair, I do not believe that Caterham will return on the grid.
Why I don’t believe Caterham will not return on the grid, or any other new team? I might have the answer. The Formula One anno 2026 compared to the sport in 2016 is a complete different world. It seems the sport is focusing on artificial overtaking, only drama in their docu-soaps and the will and zeitgeist changed. The teams seems to become more like each other with all the regulations and rules. Neither do I believe in the new regulations the FIA came with for this season and beyond. There is simply no space left for new teams, nor is the amount you have to pay to be even allowed from another planet.
