Andretti F1 bid given MAJOR backing despite massive setback

Michael Andretti at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News

Andretti F1 bid given MAJOR backing despite massive setback

Andretti have been in a huge fight trying to gain entry onto the F1 grid

GPFans Staff

Sunday 18 February 2024 22:57

General Motors remains hopeful in Andretti Global’s application to enter Formula 1, according to the company’s vice president of performance and motorsports, Jim Campbell.

Andretti, whose interest in entering F1 stretches back to 2021 with a failed takeover of the Sauber team, stated in 2022 their intention to join the sport as an 11th team for 2024.

The project, run by former IndyCar star and one-time McLaren driver Michael Andretti, would have factories based in America and Europe and use Renault power units.

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However, initially, the FIA and F1 teams were hesitant about the idea due to the amount of prize money lost by adding another team to the grid.

Andretti's hopes received a substantial boost when General Motors, through their Cadillac brand, announced they would back the project in January of 2023 and produce its very own power unit.

But despite receiving approval from the FIA, Andretti was informed in January that F1 would reject their application to join the grid in 2026. The reasons behind the rejection included concerns over whether Andretti would add competitiveness and value to the championship.

Even with the earliest opportunity to enter F1 being 2028, General Motors will not switch its focus to another team, and work remains ongoing on the Andretti entry.

“In terms of our application with Andretti, we feel great about our application,” said Campbell. “The FIA studied it against other applicants and then gave our application a vote of confidence and approval.

“So obviously, the FOM made their statement, and we have asked for a follow-up meeting with FOM, and so we will work through that. We do believe between Andretti and Cadillac that, we have got the capability of fielding a competitive entry.

“We are not saying that it is easy, but we do, between our two organisations, have examples in our history of where we have been successful in other motorsports categories, and that is true of Cadillac and Andretti.

“With that said, our joint teams are continuing to develop our car at pace. So, that is where we are at.”

“As I said, we believe in the application we submitted, and in that application, we articulated the abilities of both Andretti as a race team and Cadillac as a manufacturing and engineering entity.

“So, we feel confident in the application and are asking for a meeting with FOM.”

Formula 1 Renault General Motors Andretti Global Michael Andretti