Andretti announces Cadillac F1 tie-up to 'pursue' entry

F1

Legendary American racing team Andretti has announced it is joining up with Cadillac in an attempt to join the world championship

Andretti Cadillac F1 entry

Andretti/Cadillac bid iis the latest issue to expose the F1 and FIA rift

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James Elson

American racing powerhouse Andretti has announced will team up with Cadillac in an attempt to enter Formula 1, just days after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said that the governing body would launch an “Expressions of Interest” process for new teams.

Michael Andretti’s squad, which runs teams in IndyCar, Formula E, Extreme E and now an IMSA LMDh squad in a tie-up with Wayne Taylor Racing, has been trying to find a way into the world championship for the last two seasons, and the announcement symbolises another step on the way to doing so. The entry would also be the first time General Motors has been involved in F1 in any way.

“I feel that we are well suited to be a new team for Formula 1 and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans,” said Michael Andretti.

Michael-Andretti

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“GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing. We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid.

“Together, we will continue to follow procedures and steps put forth by the FIA during the evaluation process. In the meantime, we continue to optimistically prepare should we be fortunate enough to have Andretti Cadillac formally approved as a Formula 1 contender.”

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Ben Sulayem and the FIA acknowledged Andretti’s statement of intent, whilst F1 emphasised that other teams are also looking to enter the championship.

“I welcome the news of the Cadillac and Andretti partnership and the FIA looks forward to further discussions on the FIA F1 World Championship Expressions of Interest process,” the President posted.

“The FIA is exploring the Expressions of Interest process and we will provide a further update in the near future,” the FIA wrote in a statement.

“Today’s news from the United States is further proof of the popularity and growth of the FIA Formula One World Championship under the FIA’s stewardship. It is particularly pleasing to have interest from two iconic brands such as General Motors Cadillac and Andretti Global.

“Any additional entries would build on the positive acceptance of the FIA’s 2026 PU regulations among OEMs which has already attracted an entry from Audi.

“Any Expressions of Interest process will follow strict FIA protocol and will take several months.”

F1’s response hit a more cautious tone, with the situation mirroring Haas’s entry which was initially slated for 2015, but was shifted to the year after. The FIA announced an ‘expressions of interest’ process prior to the 2015 start, long after the Haas plan had been in the works.

“There is great interest in the F1 project at this time with a number of conversations continuing that are not as visible as others,” it said.

“We all want to ensure the championship remains credible and stable and any new entrant request will be assessed on criteria to meet those objectives by all the relevant stakeholders. Any new entrant request requires the agreement of both F1 and the FIA.”

The “value” mentioned by Andretti above has been a sticking point for other teams welcoming Andretti into F1, with Toto Wolff being particularly vociferous in his opposition. The only teams which had openly expressed approval of Andretti joining were McLaren and Alpine, and both Andretti and GM were keen to stress why they think the entry would be beneficial to all parties.

“Cadillac and F1 both have growing global appeal,” said GM chairman Mark Reuss. “Our brand has a motorsports pedigree that’s more than a century in the making, and we would be proud to have the opportunity to bring our distinct American innovation and design to F1.”

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