Andretti Autosports just announced their intentions to become the 11th Team on the current F1 grid. The team revealed their partnership with General Motors to form the Andretti-Cadilac F1 team to join the sport by 2024.
But despite its ambitions, the team have not received a warm welcome into the sport. Rumours suggest that a majority of the current teams oppose including an additional team in the grid.
F1 has become an elite, closed-door club according to Michael Andretti. And everything that matters in Money opines the American hopeful to break into F1.
The dream of privateer teams entering Formula 1 has become increasingly difficult in recent years. The reasons for this are the sport’s growing cost and focus on profit, pushing privateer teams out of the sport.
Also Read: Can Andretti with Cadillac ensure his dream F1 entry after multiple snubs?
Will Andretti-Cadillac race in F1?
The Andretti-Cadlilac saga has been running on for a couple of years. Michael Andretti has been knocking on F1’s door regarding the vacancy for an additional team. They attempted to enter F1 for the past year but were met with barriers and roadblocks.
And the opposition mainly came from the F1 teams. Toto Wolff, Mercedes F1’s CEO and Team Principal were one of the main voices behind the move.
Wolff questioned the value a team like Andretti could add to F1. He also suggested that if Andretti manage to bring an OEM it would be a different story.
Andretti is a family with a racing legacy. Mario Andretti, the father of Michael was a former F1 champion. The team compete across various leagues of racing like Formula E, IndyCar, and IMSA, and have a serious passion for motorsports.
The team managed to rope in the likes of General Motors and Guggenheim Partners, who will invest $200 Million in their upcoming facility. Despite bringing in one of the world’s largest car manufacturers as a partner, Andretti’s bid for entry has been unsuccessful.
Also Read: Toto Wolff sheds assessment of Andretti Cadillac F1 entry as FIA and F1 split over 11th team arrival
Andretti’s snub signifies the end of private F1 teams
Just before Andretti-Cadillac announced their intentions to join F1, the FIA, made it clear they are only interested in new teams. But this invite has come with many clauses.
Andretti’s team was met with ever-changing and arbitrary requirements from paying a 200 million dollar fee to convincing a new OEM to enter the sport. Despite fulfilling these requirements, Andretti’s entry process hasn’t gone smoothly.
The introduction of the cost cap in recent years has allowed teams to make a profit for the first time. This means existing F1 groups have seen a significant increase in value, making it almost impossible for privateer teams to enter the sport.
The absence of privateer teams like Andretti would be a significant loss to the sport and its fans. They are synonymous with F1, known for their passion and dedication to racing. The list includes the likes of McLaren, Brabham, Brawn, Williams, Benetton, etc.
Andretti competes in almost every major series across the globe but their dream of entering F1 is being thwarted by money and greed. The regulations and hurdles for new teams should be re-evaluated to protect the true passion of racing and the future of the sport.
F1 needs to take a long look in the mirror and consider the direction it is heading in. The sport should not be about profit and exclusivity but about the passion of racing.
Also Read: $600 million deal collapse that forced Michael Andretti to seek Cadillac’s support for F1 entry
