Early last year, General Motors and Andretti Global announced a new partnership in a bid to enter the FIA Formula One (F1) World Championship. Now, after a lengthy application process, Formula One Management has announced that the team’s bid to enter the championship in 2025 and become the 11th entry on the grid was rejected. However, it’s possible that the Andretti team may be able to join around 2028.
Per a report from motorsport.com, which cites a statement from F1, the assessment process found that the addition of an 11th team to the race grid “would not, on its own, provide value to the championship.”
“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 F1 statement reads, referencing the Andretti racing team.
Although the sanctioning body behind F1, the FIA, found Andretti’s technical capabilities to be adequate for competition, the new team was required to reach a commercial deal with F1’s owner, Liberty Media, before it would be allowed to compete.
The recent statement from F1 also stated that adding another team to the grid 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.”
The Andretti team bid was also criticized for its power unit (engine) selection, as the team would be required to run customer power units from 2025 or 2026, which was considered a bad move for the overall health of the championship. However, that could change if Andretti partners with Cadillac for a GM-sourced power unit.
“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,” F1 states.
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Comments
I’d view this as a victory for Cadillac / Andretti.
They’re all scared of new competition.
Actually, the main reason is they don’t want to split the pot with an 11th team.
That and splitting sponsorship money from US companies that would be taken away by another American team, especially one with the Andretti and Cadillac name.
The most insulting quote was left out of this article where F1 claimed “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.”
F-off1
@Ryan quoting “F1 would bring value to the Andretti brand rather than the other way around.”
That is a simple fact.
Who knows of Andretti outside of the USA?
The real problem is that many of the venues do not have the space for an 11th team, which would need its own garage (or how you call that, their “pit” in the “pit lane”) and this is physically not in existance.
So, still the best way for GM into F1 is to buy an existing team, giving it a new namen, and replace that old technique with their own chassis and engines.
They are correct. They would not be competitive.
Right, because GM has proven over and over again in NASCAR, Indycar, NHRA and IMSA that they have no idea how to build winning race cars or race engines.
…and Corvette took it’s 9th class win at 24 Le Mans last year.
Then F1 should cut Haas, and probably Williams. Might as well cut Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber (formerly Alfa Romeo) and Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team (formerly AlphaTauri) just because of the sheer embarrassment their names bring to the sport.
“Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber (formerly Alfa Romeo) ” will become the Audi team next year or in 2 years.
The deal is already done.
Snobby rich guy closed club.
If they don’t want a US manufacturer/team, then perhaps they don’t need to race on US tracks or have US media coverage.
“…then perhaps they don’t need to race on US tracks or have US media coverage.”
And all the revenue derived from those sources.
They’ll afraid of Cadillac
Nonsense, @Kicks!
There is no space for an 11th team with all their gear in many of the F1 race track’s pit lane.
And also, adding two more cars to the race increases the danger of accidents.
So, the wise thing to do for GM is to buy out an existiing F1 team. For example HAAS, which is registered as an US team anyway, if my memory does not cheat me.
European snobs.
GM canceled the Blackwing V8, which proves they are not interested in racing. GM management is all over the place when it comes to corporate decision-making.
amazing