Big Andretti update delivered as fight continues to become F1’s 11th team
Michael Andretti remains “optimistic” about being confirmed as a new Formula 1 team, with German publication Speedweek reporting he is “convinced” the FIA will accept his entry.
Andretti teamed up with General Motors through Cadillac to launch a combined bid to enter Formula 1 through the FIA’s official process launched earlier this year, and with the deadline now having passed for prospective entrants, the individual cases are now being evaluated before a decision is taken on whether or not to expand the F1 grid from 2025 and beyond.
Current team bosses remain roundly against expansion without significant addition in value to the grid as it stands, but Andretti said he and Cadillac are at “full speed” in their preparations for Formula 1.
Michael Andretti offers update on Formula 1 bid
The new Andretti Autosport headquarters is under construction to house all of the team’s global motorsport operations, which currently include the likes of IndyCar, Formula E, IMSA, Extreme E and Indy NXT, but the new facility in Fishers, Indiana would also play host to a Formula 1 factory if a bid is approved.
Andretti has tried and failed in his attempts to buy existing Formula 1 teams such as AlphaTauri and Alfa Romeo, and remains hopeful that he will be afforded the opportunity to add his name to the grid with the General Motors name attached.
“I’m optimistic about that,” Andretti toldSpeedweekwhen asked about the current status of the Andretti-Cadillac bid.
“I hope that the FIA will clarify this in the next few weeks. In any case, we are preparing at full speed. At the moment we have 25 employees, and the number is constantly increasing.
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“Cadillac is also working at full speed, the endurance races are not affected and are completely independent of the Formula 1 programme. They’re really getting into it.
“Everything is on track with the construction of the new headquarters in Fishers, Indiana. We hope to be able to move there from our old base at the end of 2024.
“The investment is really big. We not only want to locate the North American projects there, but also our Formula 1 team. Our first car will be built in Europe, but after that in Indiana. We will have the first Formula 1 car built in the US.”
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