Andretti was merely a few steps away from becoming the 11th team on the grid when F1 halted their procession. Reports suggest the FOM (Formula One Management) claims they do not find the Andretti-Cadillac partnership viable in the long run. Meanwhile, Andretti feels F1’s greed stands as the reason behind the rejection. Now, Autoblog reports Andretti refuses to take the rejection lying down and will fight against it.
Much of their confidence stems from recovered junk mail sent from a senior staff member. In one of their recent statements, the FOM detailed how Andretti failed to respond to an invitation from F1 to discuss the application. Andretti had no clue about the mail until this revelation. Upon checking their spam folders, they found out about the same. Citing the communication issue, Andretti now demands a meeting to discuss the application.
Michael Andretti firmly believes his partnership with Cadillac has the potential to be competitive. Both names have found incredible success in motorsports before. As such, Andretti sees no reason for them to be unsuccessful in F1. Both parties are firm believers in their application. It details the capabilities of Andretti as a race team and Cadillac as a manufacturing and engineering entity.
The FIA had no reservations about the move and approved the entry without any hesitations. Andretti hopes to be the only “truly American” team on the grid, firing shots at Haas. Given their confidence, the team continues to develop their car. After years of trying to enter the grid by buying a pre-existing team, Michael Andretti thought it was best to sport a new one altogether. However, his hopes and dreams took a plunge in cold water, yet again, owing to FOM’s rejection.
The door still open for Andretti in 2028
With F1 stating they would look at the application “differently” in 2028, General Motors (GM) is up for the long wait. They have plans to build their own F1 engine for 2028. By doing so, GM believes they will bring additional factors for F1 to consider. According to the FOM, new teams need to take on a compulsory power unit supply over a period of time.
Given GM can come up with an engine in 2028, the two seasons before that would see Andretti take engines from a different manufacturer. The sudden shift in providers could prove to be damaging to F1’s image, claims the FOM.
Furthermore, they feel the inclusion of Andretti will bring them no recognition. Instead of the team getting more exposure to F1, the sport will be adding value to Andretti’s image.
Should GM be able to deliver on its engine plans, F1’s criteria for evaluating future team entries might change altogether. For now, the newer teams rely on a pre-existing supplier for their engines. But the benchmark could soon change with teams having to come up with their own engines or suppliers.
