Andretti issues fresh statement after F1 entry bid rejection

Andretti has hit back at some of Formula 1's criticisms in rejecting its entry bid, claiming it was not aware of the offer of an in-person meeting.

On Wednesday, F1 announced that it had rejected Andretti's bid to join the Grand Prix grid as an 11th team, potentially either for the 2025 or 2026 seasons.

F1 believed Andretti had underestimated the workload needed to build a car to one set of regulations for 2025 and then another for the rules reset in 2026.

The decision also claimed that F1's in-house research indicated that F1 would help build the Andretti brand rather than Andretti adding to the championship itself.

In a good sign for Andretti however, it was noted that if engine partner General Motors commits to becoming a power unit manufacturer for its original 2028 date, then the project would be considered at that date on its then-merits.

Responding to the initial announcement, Mario Andretti claimed he was "devastated" whilst Michael Andretti's statement said the team "strongly disagree with [the] contents" of F1's reasoning.

One intriguing aspect to the commercial negotiations that had taken place was F1's claim that an offer to present the project on 12th December 2023 at its London offices was not taken up by Andretti.


AP have now reported that the reason this message was never answered by Andretti was the fact that it was delivered to the spam email inbox and thus was not seen until it was too late.

Andretti's fresh statement

In a two-paragraph statement, Andretti has now further responded to some of the claims ade by F1 in its rejection letter.

"When Andretti Cadillac entered the FIA expression of interest process almost a year ago, the preferred first year of participation was indicated as 2025," the first part of the Andretti-Cadillac statement read.

"The FIA approved our application, with no specific limitation on whether the entry was for 2025 or 2026. Andretti Cadillac has been operating with 2026 as the year of entry for many months now.

"The technicality of 2025 still being part of the application is a result of the length of this process."

As for the missed in-person meeting, Andretti's statement explained that it was not aware of the offer, and that such a meeting "remains of paramount importance."

"We were not aware that the offer of a meeting had been extended and would not decline a meeting with Formula One Management," continued the statement.

"An in-person meeting to discuss commercial matters would be and remains of paramount importance to Andretti Cadillac.

"We welcome the opportunity to meet with Formula One Management and have written to them confirming our interest.

"Our work continues at pace."

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