Michael Andretti believes the partnership between Andretti Global and General Motors to create Andretti Cadillac makes it hard for Formula 1 to argue against his team’s planned entry.
Andretti has been keen on joining the F1 grid for a number of years, and made an unsuccessful attempt to buy Sauber in 2021. However, with the announcement that Andretti Global will partner with GM and bring a major manufacturer to the sport if it grants an entry, Andretti is more confident in his plans this time around.
“One of the big things was, what does Andretti bring to the party?” Andretti said. “Well, we’re bringing one of the biggest manufacturers in the world now with us with General Motors and Cadillac. So we feel that was the one box we didn’t have checked that we do have checked now.
“That, I think, will be bringing a tremendous amount of support to Formula 1. And it’s hard for anyone to argue that now.”
The announcement comes after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated he has asked the governing body to request Expressions of Interest from prospective new teams, and Andretti feels he has the president’s support.
“We believe so,” he said. “In the end, it is still an FIA series, and the president h as definitely showed that he really would like to have an 11th team, at least, on the grid. He is a racer, and he understands the importance of that for the series itself.
“So we feel very confident that once the expression of interest goes out, especially having our great partnership with Cadillac, that we have a very, very, very good shot at checking every box and being able to be on the grid soon.”
Adding that “we are going to be on track as soon as it all makes sense to be on track,” Andretti said the project will be based out of the new Andretti Global headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, supported by satellite facilities including one in the UK. Colton Herta remains a likely driver, with the team committing to a U.S. name in one of its two cars should its proposal be successful.