[RahulNagaraj]

Andretti Global has been eyeing an entry into Formula 1 since February last year, even discussing the possibility of entering the sport as an 11th team. Recently, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem even revealed that he had asked his team to start looking for "expressions of interest" from potential new teams in a bid to expand the F1 grid.



In response to the FIA's expressions of interest - Andretti Global with General Motors have announced their plans to enter Formula1 with an "all-American team". The two companies have expressed their interest to join the sport under the name - Andretti Cadillac Team.

Micheal Andretti, Chairman & CEO of Andretti Global, stated that they were well suited to be a new team in Formula 1. Andretti is positive that they can combine their motorsport passion with that of GM & Cadillac to build a true American F1 bid.

As per reports, the potential Andretti-Cadillac F1 team would receive a power unit from another engine manufacturer. However, both Andretti & Cadillac are set to offer any & all technical support required. The team would operate out of Andretti Global's headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, with operations due to start in 2025. There would also be a 'satellite facility' in Europe for the F1 team and Andretti's other racing interests.

The process for a new team to join the F1 grid requires support from Formula 1 & all the current teams. However, only two teams till now have been publically supportive of their plans. A new team joining F1 is also required to pay a $200 million fee as a dilution fund.

In addition to being an all-American team, Andretti also wants to have an American driver in the racing seat. Andretti Autosport currently has under contract Colton Herta in IndyCar, and there is a good chance he might make his way into F1 if Andretti indeed makes it onto the F1 grid.

Source: Motorsport.com

Link to Team-BHP news

[ninjatalli]

Interesting news. Andretti has been trying to get in for a while trying different means. While this is good news for F1 if one is a US fan (and not so much for F1 teams looking/working with US companies as sponsors), it is still a far fetch from any major change to the competitive scene.

History tells us the F1 environment isn't good to new teams with most recent F1 teams entering the sport haven't having much success. For instance the most 3 recent teams that entered this sport are

1. HAAS (2016 entry): Hardly making a dent although they have had a few successes in a few races; but still a long way to go

2. HRT F1 (2010): Flopped and failed to get any sellers when they quit at the end of the 2012 season

3. Virgin Racing (2010): Another flop show by this UK based team with a variety of British sponsors that lasted only 2 seasons


The situation is quite similar as one goes back into history and looks even at older "new" teams that entered this sport. It'll be interesting to see if Andretti is able to change the narrative with the might of GM (and the "all-American" team tag) behind him.

Source: RaceFans

[motorworks]

Many reports indicate that the current set of teams are resisting new teams that do not bring in value, especially the likes of Andretti. While there has been not much said about Audi or Porsche’s plans for 2026, Andretti’s interest has met with some criticism. The general opinion is that Andretti is not going to bring anything new to the table. They are not an engine manufacturer and the Cadillac tie up is just a branding exercise. They will have to surely buy engines from one of the current engine manufacturers ( I presume thats either Renault or Honda ).

Cadillac just wants to cash in on the increased F1 exposure in North America, they are just a brand partner as of now and may pull out anytime ( just like Alfa Romeo ).

I think the teams are right, get manufacturers like Audi, Porsche back in the sport, that can open up the competition. Teams like Andretti cannot do any better than say Haas or Sauber. We need teams for the long run, not ones that come in for valuation and marketing exercises.

[FuelInjector]

Originally Posted by motorworks

I think the teams are right, get manufacturers like Audi, Porsche back in the sport, that can open up the competition. Teams like Andretti cannot do any better than say Haas or Sauber. We need teams for the long run, not ones that come in for valuation and marketing exercises.

Agree with you. WHile F1 has the fanfare bandwagon and big buck business avenues, the core of this sport is the pinnacle of precision engineering. Not everyone can handle the pressure, finances and secondary stress related with this.

In this mix, Andretti to me, is probably a romantic short term date. I hope to be proved wrong, but till would tell. Also feel, honda will not be willing to give their engine to Andretti unless RB brings up their indegenous engine by 2025...Renault maybe.

[DevilzzzzOwn]

Formula 1 has issued a statement rejecting the Andretti Global entry into Formula 1 over the coming seasons.


What reasons did F1 give for Andretti rejection?
In a statement issued to the media, F1 stated that, in itself, an 11th team wouldn’t necessarily add any value to the championship.

The justification for this is that an 11th team needed to show that its involvement would be of material benefit to the championship or to the CRH.

“The most significant way in which a new entrant would bring value is by being competitive, in particular by competing for podiums and race wins,” said the statement.

“This would materially increase fan engagement and would also increase the value of the Championship in the eyes of key stakeholders and sources of revenue such as broadcasters and race promoters.”

Andretti’s link-up with Cadillac through General Motors, a huge coup for the entry, didn’t sway F1 either.

While GM would link up with Andretti, the manufacturer would not be a power supplier initially – instead being a ‘silent partner’ for the first few years. F1 said a GM power unit supply from the outset would have “enhanced its credibility”, although a novice constructor and novice power unit supplier “would also have a significant challenge to overcome.”

With the chassis and power unit regulations also going through revolutionary changes between 2025 and ’26, requiring very different designs on both fronts, F1 also scoffed the suggestion that Andretti would design and build a car for the final year of the current regulations only to immediately design and build a car for the new regulations almost immediately.

Without a GM power unit from the get-go, F1 also explained that the existing power unit manufacturers – one of whom would be made to supply an engine based on the sporting regulations forcing them to do so – would “inevitably be reticent to extend its collaboration with [Andretti] beyond the minimum required while [Andretti] pursues its ambition of collaborating with GM as a PU supplier in the longer term, which the compulsory PU supplier would see as a risk to its intellectual property and know-how.”

As a result, F1 said there’s no basis to allow a new applicant in for 2025 and questioned Andretti’s own attitude towards the regulations by saying: “The fact that [Andretti] proposes to do so gives us reason to question their understanding of the scope of the challenge involved.”

Despite Andretti’s success in other motorsport categories, F1 also said that the sport ” represents a unique technical challenge to constructors of a nature that [Andretti] has not faced in any other formula or discipline in which it has previously competed, and it proposes to do so with a dependency on a compulsory PU supply in the initial years of its participation.

“On this basis, we do not believe that [Andretti] would be a competitive participant.”

F1 also explained that, on the power unit front, the challenge facing a new power unit manufacturer is not one to be underestimated. Citing how “major automotive manufacturers have struggled in the past”, F1 conceded that GM has the resources and credibility to do so but that “success is not assured”.

F1 would ‘bring more value to Andretti’ than the other way around

Examining Andretti’s application through a commercial lens, F1 said the team could provide value to the championship provided they are competitive. However, F1 bluntly said: “We do not believe that [Andretti] would be a competitive participant”.

While the regulations do have a clause to force existing power unit manufacturers to supply customers that can’t find a willing partner, F1 has shied away from making that happen by saying it would be “damaging to the prestige and standing” of the sport.

In a real poke in the eye for Andretti, the statement also said “While the Andretti name carries some recognition for F1 fans, our research indicates that F1 would bring value to the Andretti brand rather than the other way around.”

F1 also said they could not forecast any material positive effects on financial results for the CRH, while also placing additional operational burdens on race promoters alongside a reduction in technical, operational, and commercial opportunities for the other 10 teams.

“We do not believe that the Applicant has shown that it would add value to the Championship,” concluded the statement.

“We conclude that the Applicant’s application to participate in the Championship should not be successful.”

However, the door might not be completely shut for Andretti who, only this week, revealed they are continuing with a full-speed-ahead approach to preparing for a possible F1 entry over the next year or two.

F1 said the prospect of entry into the 2028 championship with GM backing, either as a factory entry or a customer team, could be looked upon differently, particularly in respect of bringing a new OEM into the sport.

Finally, while many of the current F1 teams made their lack of enthusiasm for an Andretti entry very obvious, F1 said their assessment of Andretti’s application “did not involve any consultation with the current F1 teams.

“However, in considering the best interests of the Championship we took account of the impact of the entry of an 11th team on all commercial stakeholders in the Championship.”

Source: https://www.planetf1.com/news/andret...sues-statement