Why Andretti's Entry Was Rejected for 2025
The decision to deny Andretti a place in the upcoming races was articulated in a methodically detailed statement issued by F1's organizers. They clarified that while Andretti’s technical capabilities were deemed strong enough – a declaration that followed an expression of interest request from prospective entrants in October – their inability to close a necessary commercial deal became a significant stumbling block.
Evidently, any new team entering F1 needs to negotiate a commercial deal with F1’s owner, Liberty Media, before they're allowed to compete. This process, laid down in the Concorde Agreement, proved insurmountable for Andretti. The F1-sphere was clear in its ambivalence towards expanding the grid, asserting it would only be worthwhile if the new entry could deliver a clear net benefit beyond just having another competitor.
No Clear Benefit of an 11th Team
F1 stated directly that it did not believe having a new entrant in the form of Andretti was beneficial for the championship. "Our assessment process established that the presence of an 11th team would not, on its own, provide value to the championship. We do not believe that the applicant would be a competitive participant," affirmed F1 authorities.
Concerns were also raised about the potential added operational and economic stress for race promoters. The introduction of an eleventh team could result in significant costs and could reduce the technical, operational, and commercial spaces allocated to existing competitors.
Response from Andretti and a Glimmer of Hope
The rejection left Mario Andretti, the patriarch of the Andretti family and 1978 F1 World Champion, thoroughly devastated. Taking to Twitter, he voiced his disappointment, saying, "I'm devastated. I won't say anything else because I can't find any other words besides devastated."
However, hope isn't entirely lost. F1 highlighted Andretti's engine situation centring on the requirement to secure customer power units from 2025 or 2026, which could potentially lead to a forced deal with current manufacturers.
The rejection, though definitive for the 2025 season, contains a hint of hope for 2028 if Andretti can establish a collaboration with Cadillac. F1 added, “We would look differently on an application for the entry of a team into the 2028 Championship with a GM power unit." They further noted that bringing a prestigious new Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) like Cadillac to the sport as a Power Unit (PU) supplier could be a significant value addition to the championship.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali summarised, ""We need to make sure that the decision is right for the business." As for the American squad's fans, they will be eagerly hoping for a successful Andretti run in the 2028 Championship.
