It will take sustained determination, loads of political maneuvering, and more than a bit of luck, but I (for one) wouldn’t bet against it happening.
A few months ago, the F.I.A.–the governing body of Formula One–approved the idea of an 11th team in the sport, Andretti Global, that could begin in 2026. To make that possible, final approval had to come from the Formula One Management group and the owners of the sport, Liberty Media. The organizations rejected the offer, claiming that the addition would not help increase the sport’s popularity.
Rendition courtesy Wards Auto
However, the door was left open for reconsideration, and Andretti Global and General Motors—with a Cadillac racing engine—will do just that. If approved, the team would enter the sport in the 2028 season, even though getting the okay will be an uphill climb.
Still worth the effort, the group has a new factory near the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, England, and the existing factory in Fishers, Indiana, near Indianapolis. To boost the possibility of getting a yes, the group has hired former F1 engineer and technical director Pat Symonds, who will act as an advisor as soon as his current contract lapses at the season’s end. There’s also support from those in the United States Congress, who claim that Formula One’s denial decision violates U.S. antitrust laws.
Graphic courtesy EverythingF1
Weighing against the bid is what happened to Mario Andretti, Michael’s son and the person overseeing the organization, during his recent visit to the Miami Grand Prix. The younger Andretti was approached by Greg Maffei, the president of Liberty Media, who told the one-time world champion that his organization would never get into Formula One. Although that surprised Andretti, it did not diminish his resolve to move forward.
That said, the politics of the matter is deep and pervasive. When F.I.A. president Mohammed Ben Sulayem approved Andretti Global’s entry into the Formula One grid, many thought he would support the idea despite Formula One’s disapproval and be on the Andretti sign. But recently, Ben Sulayem changed his stance. He now supports the idea of having Andretti buy an existing team rather than being the 11th team.
While that could be a workable option, no teams are currently up for sale, and possible candidates—such as R.B., Alpine, and Haas—aren’t the targets they were once thought to be. Of the three, Haas seems to be the lowest-hanging fruit.
Still, speculation is that Andretti will eventually get on the Formula One grid. Yes, it will take determination, loads of political maneuvering, and more than a bit of luck, but I (for one) wouldn’t bet against it happening.
