Four months after gaining approval from the FIA, the team’s attempt to join F1 was turned down by the championship in a detailed statement released on Wednesday.
The rejection extended beyond the expected commercial aspects, with F1 providing several reasons for the refusal. One primary argument was that the team seemed overly ambitious, planning an entry for 2025 with a car adhering to the current regulations and then having to design another for the significantly different rules coming in 2026.
F1 expressed skepticism about a novice entrant building two distinct cars in its initial two years of existence, stating, “We do not believe there is a basis for any new applicant to be admitted in 2025.” The championship questioned the team’s comprehension of the challenges involved in such an undertaking.
Despite Andretti’s earlier indication of readiness for a 2025 entry, the team confirmed on Friday that it had internally shifted focus to a 2026 debut, countering one of F1’s main arguments.
In a statement, the team explained that its initial preference for 2025 was indicated during the FIA expression of interest process almost a year ago. However, it had been operating with a 2026 entry in mind for several months.
Regarding an alleged invitation for an in-person meeting, F1 claimed to have extended an invitation on December 12, 2023, for the team to present its application, but the team did not respond.
Andretti Cadillac contested this, stating it was unaware of the invitation until after the F1 statement. The team found the email in Michael Andretti’s spam folder and expressed a willingness to meet with Formula One Management to discuss commercial matters.
Andretti Cadillac reiterated its commitment to ongoing work, emphasizing the importance of an in-person meeting with F1. The team stated, “Our work continues at pace,” and welcomed the opportunity for discussions with Formula One Management.