The Rodin team announces that they have been eliminated from the selection process for an 11th F1 team

Rodin Cars is a well-known company in the world of single-seaters. The New Zealand manufacturer, created by David Dicker, produces racing cars and notably owns the Rodin teams in Formula 2 and Formula 3. Rodin sponsors Liam Lawson, who has just entered Formula 1 with AlphaTauri.

The manufacturer had therefore legitimately decided to participate in the bid for the 11th Formula 1 team, as did Andretti, one of the most serious contenders.

However, the FIA, which will decide if a team is eligible for a place in the F1 paddock through a very rigorous selection process, the last teams that entered Formula 1 failed after only one or two seasons.

In a press release, Rodin explains that their application « was unsuccessful » and without questioning the decision, they wanted to explain the reasons that motivated them to participate.

« This statement aims to provide an overview of the key points of our offer, which we believe to be legitimate. We would like to emphasize that our goal here is not to criticize the FIA or to request a review of their decision. We fully respect and accept the outcome. »

Rodin explains that it would have been the only constructor in the southern hemisphere to have their Formula 1 factory in New Zealand. They had also planned to reserve one of their driver positions for a female driver. Jamie Chadwick had been selected by the team to race alongside Liam Lawson, among others.

Rodin also explains that they have already built track cars, including their latest model, the FZero, implying that they are fully capable of constructing a Formula 1 car. However, a collaboration with Ferrari was considered during their transition to F1.

The last two points of Rodin’s press release concern their experience in F2, F3, F4 after acquiring the Carlin team and the financial contribution from a single individual, the founder.

An 11th team not necessarily selected

The selection process has been clear. The 11th team will have to meet the criteria set by the FIA and address the concerns raised by the other 10 teams in Formula 1, who are also involved in the selection process. Therefore, the tender may not result in any new F1 team. Indeed, if none of the applicants can fulfill all the criteria, the FIA will not take the risk of engaging an entirely new structure within the given timeframe.

Rodin had not publicly announced his involvement in the F1 entry project. The other known teams are Andretti, Hitech, Formula Equal, and LKY SUNZ.