F1 reject Andretti bid as chiefs brutally deem new team ‘not fit’ for competition
Formula One Management has brutally rejected Andretti’s bid to run in F1 in 2026 or 2027.
Andretti has had its bid to join the Formula One grid in 2026 or 2027 rejected by Formula One Management (FOM). The sport’s commercial arm does not believe the American team would be fit to compete over the next two years, with the current stakeholders arguing that the addition of an 11th team would dilute their earnings.
The FIA, F1’s governing body, gave Andretti the green-light to join the grid over the coming years several months ago. However, Andretti also had to convince FOM that their proposal was in the best interest of the sport.
In a lengthy statement, F1’s current stakeholders said:”Our assessment process has established that the presence of an 11th team would not, on its own, provide value to the Championship.
“The most significant way in which a new entrant would bring value is by being competitive. We do not believe that the applicant would be a competitive participant.
The need for any new team to take a compulsory power unit supply, potentially over a period of several seasons, would be damaging to the prestige and standing of the Championship.”
On the different circumstances, F1 said it “Would look differently on an application for the entry”.
FOM dismissed the belief that Andretti’s name alone would add significant value. It was argued that the Andretti brand – associated with 1978 world champion Mario Andretti and son Michael, an IndyCar legend and brief F1 driver – would boost the value of F1
