The Formula 1 did not budge an inch and rejects the candidacy of the Andretti and Cadillac project for Formula 1 – which had received the “green light” from the FIA while the admission process went through the governing body.
The resistance of the reigning category and the current teams to an 11th team is not news – especially because, for the current teams, it would be one more to divide the revenue “cake,” which is not a desirable scenario for obvious reasons. Adding real value to the grid was one of the necessary requirements, and with the arrival of a new constructor (Cadillac), it seemed to be fulfilled. In addition, the project is from the United States of America, a market in which F1 is strongly expanding.
However, in a statement quoted in several media outlets, F1 now rejects the candidacy, considering that Andretti Cadillac would not be a real value-added: ‘The most significant way in which a new participant would bring value is by being competitive, particularly fighting for podiums and victories. This would materially increase fan engagement and also increase the value of the championship in the eyes of key stakeholders and sources of revenue such as broadcasters and race promoters.’
Although it recognizes that a GM/Cadillac power unit favors the credibility of the project, F1 also considers it ‘a considerable challenge to overcome.’ On the other hand, if Andretti were to enter in 2025, it would have to manufacture a car for only one season and be supplied by one of the current power unit manufacturers before the deep regulatory changes planned for 2026. In F1’s view, these manufacturers could also see collaboration with skepticism:
– They could inevitably be reluctant to extend their collaboration [with Andretti] beyond the minimum required while the team pursues its ambition to collaborate with GM as a long-term power unit supplier, which the mandatory supplier would see as a risk to its intellectual property and knowledge.’
F1 also believes that Andretti’s proposal to enter in 2025, before the deep regulatory changes, suggests that the structure is not well aware of the challenges it would face. All things considered, the reigning category is categorical: ‘We do not believe it would be a competitive participant.’
Regarding the GM power unit, F1 acknowledges that the American conglomerate has the means and credibility to be competitive, but there are no guarantees of success. And what about the future? In the statement, the pinnacle of motorsport admits that, although it currently does not see added value, the Andretti project could be seen differently for entry in 2028.
