Andretti F1 bid: Formula 1 reaches OFFICIAL decision on US team's application

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Andretti F1 bid: Formula 1 makes FINAL decision on US team proposal

FOM have made a big decision with huge consequences for the sport and Andretti

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 31 January 2024 17:25 Updated: 18:04

The bid for another US team to join F1 has fallen through after Andretti Autosport's bid to enter Formula 1 in 2026 was rejected by Formula One Management (FOM)

Andretti had hoped to join Haas in representing the stars and stripes in the paddock as the proposed 11th team on the grid, and hopes were high after they had been given the go-ahead by the FIA late last year.

Fronted by former F1 driver Michael Andretti, the team have become a successful part of many other motorsport series, including IndyCar, Formula E and the IMSA series and were poised to join the fastest series of the all, subject to FOM casting their eye over the commercial viability of adding another team to the grid.

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But after several months of reviewing the findings sent by the FIA, FOM delivered a bitter blow by announcing that Andretti's application has not passed the final test for entry into F1.

Andretti Autosport's bid was headed by former F1 driver Michael Andretti

Potential for future Andretti entry

The Andretti bid had been in conjunction with Cadillac, which is owned by General Motors.

However, in a statement on the matter, FOM did suggest that a new entry for 2028 may be thought upon differently, when Cadillac would enter the sport alongside Andretti.

Andretti's F1 bid went hand-in-hand with American motoring giants Cadillac

"Our assessment process has established that the presence of an 11th team would not, on its own, provide value to the championship," they said.

"The most significant way in which a new entrant would bring value is by being competitive. We do not believe that the applicant would be a competitive participant.

"The addition of an 11th team would place an operational burden on race promoters, would subject some of them to significant costs, and would reduce the technical, operational and commercial spaces of the other competitors.

"We would look differently on an application for the entry of a team into the 2028 championship with a GM power unit, either as a GM works team or as a GM customer team designing all allowable components in-house," they added.

"In this case there would be additional factors to consider in respect of the value that the Applicant would bring to the Championship, in particular in respect of bringing a prestigious new OEM to the sport as a PU supplier."