In an extensive communication explaining why Formula One Management (FOM) deemed Andretti’s inclusion on the grid unwarranted in the upcoming years, it was clarified that there existed a potential opportunity for the team to secure the 11th slot starting from 2028.
Last October, the FIA, after reviewing an expression of interest from potential entrants, affirmed that Andretti possessed robust technical capabilities justifying its entry.
However, in adherence to the Concorde Agreement’s stipulated process for new teams, Andretti needed to finalize a commercial deal with F1’s owner, Liberty Media, before being granted participation rights.
Securing such a deal proved challenging, given F1’s expressed hesitancy towards grid expansion unless a new entry could demonstrate a clear benefit. After extensive deliberations and consultations with key stakeholders, F1 ultimately decided against opening the grid to Andretti.
The statement from F1 conveyed, “Our assessment process has determined that the presence of an 11th team, by itself, would not enhance the championship’s value. The most significant contribution a new entrant could make is through competitiveness, a criterion we do not believe the applicant would fulfill.”
Furthermore, F1 expressed concerns that introducing an additional team could impose an operational burden and significant costs on race promoters, reducing technical, operational, and commercial opportunities for existing competitors.
The statement emphasized the inability to identify any expected positive impact on CRH financial results, a key indicator of the championship’s pure commercial value.
In response to the decision, Mario Andretti, the family patriarch and 1978 F1 World Champion, expressed his devastation through a tweet, stating, “I’m devastated. I won’t say anything else because I can’t find any other words besides devastated.”
Another critical factor influencing F1’s stance was Andretti’s engine situation. The team was mandated to adopt customer power units from 2025 or 2026, a requirement that could potentially be imposed on current manufacturers.
F1 viewed this scenario as detrimental to the championship’s health. However, the outlook might change once Andretti establishes plans for an alliance with Cadillac, potentially as early as 2028.
F1’s perspective on Andretti’s entry could shift, as indicated by the statement: “We would look differently on an application for the entry of a team into the 2028 Championship with a GM power unit, either as a GM works team or as a GM customer team designing all allowable components in-house.”
In such a case, additional factors, particularly the introduction of a prestigious new Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), would be considered.
Reflecting on the decision-making process, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali emphasized the need to ensure that decisions align with the business’s best interests, underscoring the shared responsibility of the FIA and FOM in making such determinations.