Mario Andretti, an American racing driver, accused Greg Maffei, CEO of Liberty Media, of personally expressing his intention to block Michael Andretti’s potential Formula 1 team from entering the sport. Andretti’s proposal was accepted by the FIA last October, but Formula One Management (FOM) did not approve the team to join in 2025/6. FOM argued that Andretti’s team would not bring enough value to the championship and questioned its ability to be competitive from the start. However, FOM stated that they would consider Andretti’s application for 2028 if they could secure General Motors as a power unit manufacturer. This situation led members of the United States Congress and the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to write letters to Maffei seeking clarification.
Andretti stated that during a conversation with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali in Miami, Maffei interrupted and made it clear that he would do everything in his power to prevent Michael Andretti from entering Formula 1. Andretti expressed his disbelief and shock at Maffei’s personal stance on the matter. He believed they were discussing business and did not expect such strong opposition. Maffei’s statement was like a devastating blow to Andretti.
On the other hand, sources informed RACER that Maffei denies Andretti’s version of events. According to Maffei, it was Andretti who approached him to discuss the matter, not the other way around. Despite this disagreement, Andretti remains determined to pursue his plans to enter Formula 1. The team has established a new base in Silverstone and plans to expand its operations. With the addition of Nick Chester, former Renault engineer, as Technical Director, Andretti intends to test a full-scale F1 chassis model by mid-2024. Furthermore, the team announced that Pat Simonds, former Chief Technical Director of F1, will join as a technical consultant once his sabbatical period ends.
