The door is still open for the team to enter in 2028.
Formula 1 recently declined the joint bid from Andretti Global and General Motors’ Cadillac brand to join the racing grid in either 2025 or 2026, effectively concluding a prolonged process. Despite receiving approval from the FIA, the bid required endorsement from the series’ commercial rights holder, which was not granted.
Internal discussions revealed that the existing ten teams were not involved, although many publicly expressed opposition to adding an 11th team. Notably, Andretti-Cadillac diligently fulfilled the requirements set forth by Formula 1, with Cadillac even committing to producing a Formula 1 power unit if the bid succeeded. However, the potential impact on revenue sharing posed a significant hurdle that the bid could not overcome.
While this decision appears to signal the end of Andretti-Cadillac’s immediate aspirations, it leaves the possibility open for the future. Thus, the saga may not yet be concluded.
The decision means F1’s grid will remain at 10 teams and 20 drivers for at least the next four years.
Formula 1 Left The Door Open For Andretti And GM In 2028
While joining the grid in 2025 or 2026 is out of the question, F1’s statement about shooting down the Andretti-Cadillac bid explicitly said joining the grid in 2028 could be another story.
Remember that GM/Cadillac power unit? Formula 1 made it clear they’re interested in it.
“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,” per F1’s statement released today.
F1 also said it did not believe Andretti could come in and be truly competitive with a customer deal.
“The most significant way in which a new entrant would bring value is by being competitive,” the F1 statement said. “We do not believe that the Applicant [Andretti] would be a competitive participant.”
Even before Wednesday’s decision, Andretti rejected this suggestion and insisted the team would have been ready to race by 2025.
F1 disagreed with that concept on the basis “that this would involve a novice entrant building two completely different cars in its first two years of existence.”
“The fact that the Applicant proposes to do so gives us reason to question their understanding of the scope of the challenge involved,” F1 said.
Andretti-Cadillac has hired big names in the racing world, including former Renault technical chief Nick Chester, and has set up a satellite UK base in Silverstone to support the team’s global racing hub in Indianapolis.
It has also been testing in Toyota’s Cologne wind tunnel with a 60% size model designed to the current regulations.
Many in F1 were also skeptical about the logic of Andretti joining the grid in 2025 before a major regulation change comes into effect for the 2026 season.
Joining the championship in 2028 would give the rest of the field a two-season headstart on that generation of power unit, which is set to debut in 2026.
Oh well. That’s not ideal but it may be a reality if they want to join F1.
However, there could be one other avenue to get on the grid before 2028.
Buying Haas Could Be A Quick Ticket To The Grid
It is unsure how the 2024 season will shake out for Haas. They spent 2023 at the bottom of the standings, and it’s possible that could happen again. If team owner Gene Haas decides he’s sick of operating outside the midfield or if he succumbs to outside pressure, he could sell the team.
And surely, Andretti-Cadillac would be interested.
Andretti had previously tried to purchase Sauber which — are you ready for this? — was known as Alfa Romeo at the time, and is now called Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
However, that deal didn’t work out and the team cut a deal to become the Audi works team come 2026. That’s why Andretti began pursuing the 11th-team option.
Buying a team comes with some perks. They could inherit some infrastructure, although Haas’ isn’t known to be particularly robust.
Haas hasn’t appeared too interested in selling over the years, and he has the leverage in this situation. If he knows Andretti and GM really want in on F1, they may have to overpay for that spot on the grid if it came to that.
Officially, Andretti-Cadillac’s bid to enter the 2025 or 2026 seasons is dead.
But I don’t think this will be the end of the story…