Official: FIA Approves Andretti Formula 1 Entry

The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile has confirmed that Andretti Formula Racing LLC has been granted approval to join the F1 grid following a grueling process that started in January 2023 with an "Expressions of Interest" process.

Andretti's bid to join the F1 grid dates back even further than that. Mario Andretti first announced its intent to join the grid in 2024 in early 2022 but received a lot of pushback. On the same day, the FIA declared its Expression of Interest process open, Andretti announced a high-profile partnership with Cadillac, so Caddy will be able to promote its high-performance models like the CT5-V Blackwing. It formed a new team called Andretti-Cadillac, but even this colossus received backlash from the existing teams on the grid.

It later came to light that only Alpine and McLaren were open to a new team joining the grid, with Zak Brown being particularly outspoken on the matter.

The battle is not over yet, however. Receiving FIA approval is arguably the easy part of the application, as Andretti-Cadillac now has to face Formula 1 Group, the governing body in charge of the sport's commercial rights. The F1 Group is owned by Liberty Media but is made up of representatives of various teams and is headed by Stefano Domenicali, who has been relatively outspoken about not allowing new teams on the grid.

"The FIA was very clear in establishing stringent criteria for entry from the outset of the Expressions of Interest procedure. Our objective, after rigorous due diligence during the application phase, was to only approve prospective entries that satisfied the set criteria and illustrated that they would add value to the sport," said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Rodin Cars, one of the teams declined by the FIA, recently lifted the lid on what goes on behind the scenes, and it is quite shocking how many hoops the teams have to jump through.

"Andretti Formula Racing LLC was the only entity that fulfills the selection criteria that were set in all material respects. I congratulate Michael Andretti and his team on a thorough submission. I also want to thank all prospective teams for their interest and participation," said Ben Sulayem.

"The Expressions of Interest process builds on the positive acceptance of the FIA's 2026 F1 Power Unit Regulations among existing OEMs, which has also attracted further commitment from Audi, Honda, and Ford and interest from Porsche and General Motors."

At this point, it seems like a done deal because the Formula One Group is in a catch-22 situation. It wants to make more money in America (the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place in November), so surely it can't afford to deny an American team? It would be a PR disaster.

Andretti originally wanted to join the grid in 2024, but if it gets the go-ahead from Formula One, it can line up in 2025. Would it do it that quickly, or wait for the new 2026 engine regulations that drastically reduce the cost of developing an F1 power unit? Also, will Cadillac build an engine and join the esteemed list of confirmed 2026 engine suppliers?