Formula 1, official: Andretti-Cadillac’s bid rejected

The American team, sponsored by the giant American car company, General Motors, will not be on the grid in 2025 or even in 2026: this is how Liberty Media (and the current ten teams) respond to the pressure from the FIA for eleven. the team

Except Sardines

January 31, 2024 (changed at 5.50pm)

There will not be, at least for the next few years, an eleventh team on the starting grid of the Formula 1 World Championship In a lengthy note published on the afternoon of January 31, the championship organizers have closed the door on Andretti. -Cadillac, confirming the doubts already expressed in recent months by the ten F1 teams after the candidacy promoted by the FIA was made official. The American team led by Michael Andretti with the help of the legendary father Mario, would be ready to enter as early as 2025 – so much so that in recent days we have even seen a picture of a single seat (level) in the wind – but only from 2028 will it be and technological support from General Motors as a power unit supplier.

OPPOSITION

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The wait is apparently considered too long by Liberty Media and the teams that, since the time of the first tenders opened last year by the Federation, opposed the new situation by raising economic objections: having an additional team on the grid, in addition to logistical problems regarding the number of garages and available space in the paddocks circuit, also means reducing the income for each of the participants. Long story short, dividing a cake into eleven pieces is not the same as cutting it to fit ten dinners, unless the cake is big (at least a little). It is for this reason that, in the official press release, Uhuru still leaves some light of hope open for the future.

HYPOTHESIS 2028

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In short, it is one thing to say no to Andretti who would have to buy an electric unit for 2025 (there were rumors of a possible previous agreement with Renault), it is another thing to refuse the entry of a large car company like General Motors – a group whose brand Cadillac is part of it – which has already formalized the construction of the ownership power unit for 2028. Not surprisingly, this is the initial concept expressed in the press release of Liberty Media: “We would prefer to evaluate in a different way, the request of the team to enter the championship of 2028 and the GM power unit, as an official team and as a GM customer, which builds all the components in. In this case, there will be additional considerations about the value that the team would bring to the championship, given the entry of a new car manufacturer elegant.”

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

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There is also a note: “Entering F1 as an engine supplier is a huge challenge, which even the biggest car manufacturers have struggled with in the past, and which requires years of heavy investment to be able to compete. GM has the resources and credibility to prove itself, but success is not certain. ” For others, the financial analysis of Formula 1 experts who come to the conclusion that “Andretti has not shown that it can increase the value of the championship” and that, therefore, “the entry request should not be accepted”, is not surprising at all. Indeed, it is exactly the same as the words spoken in recent months by the CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, and the heads of various teams in the paddock, including Ferrari driver Fred Vasseur and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

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REASONS FOR NO

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“The most important way to enter that additional value – we read in the note from the organizers of F1 – is for the team to be competitive. And we do not believe that the applicant qualifies as one. The need to find a supply of power units, possibly for several seasons, can be detrimental to the championship. And our research shows that the Andretti brand would benefit more by entering Formula 1 than the other way around. The entry of the eleventh team could also be an organizational burden for the race promoters, by reducing the technical position. operational and commercial advantages available to other competitors”. We will talk about it again in a few years. Maybe.