Michael Andretti has responded to Toto Wolff's "buy a team" comment as his eponymous squad continue their push for a Formula 1 entry. In January, Andretti were the first team to respond to the FIA's Expression of Interest process by announcing plans to enter F1 in 2026, with General Motors backing in the shape of Cadillac. However, while this was met positively by FIA President Mohammed ben Sulayem, F1 itself and some team bosses - including Mercedes chief Wolff - were rather lukewarm. At the British Grand Prix, as filming for the Brad Pitt film was taking place, Wolff was asked about the pressures facing current teams, and whether simply buying a team would be the best fit for anyone seeking to enter Grand Prix racing. Wolff replied: "Our position was very clear: buy a team," with that comment put to Andretti at the Sardinia X-Prix.
Andretti's Wolff rebuttal
"We’ve tried — nobody’s interested, nobody’s selling," Andretti told media. "I mean, we've been to every single team. They keep saying: 'Well, buy a team' [but] nobody wants to sell. "You go there and they’re not even interested in talking. So yeah, I’ve been there, done that — [it is] not happening." "Everybody has their own reasons why they’re doing things. They’re trying to protect their own interests, which you can’t blame them. "You know, I said things before, I probably used the wrong word — I shouldn’t have said ‘greed’ but everybody’s been looking out for themselves. "When I said that, I got criticized because I said ‘greed’, but if I was in their situation, I’d probably do the same thing. So I don’t blame the teams. "They all are going to look at it for themselves, because that’s what they need to do to be competitive. "They’ve got to make sure that they protect that and I understand that’s what they’re trying to do. "But in the end, they’re not going to be the ones that make the decision. It’s going to be up to the series and the FIA to decide if it’s the right individual."
Andretti hopeful of acceptance
Andretti are one of a number of hopefuls seeking a slot on the 2026 grid, including a Hitech bid, one backed by Craig Pollock dubbed 'Formula Equal' and LKYSUNZ. The application process has been conducted throughout the first half of 2023, with a decision from the FIA expected later in July. "We’re hoping for a positive decision," Andretti added on the latest of his application. "I feel good. I mean, I we checked every box, but you know, feeling good and reality are always two different things. "We just have to wait and see what happens. "I think we have everything we need to go in and be competitive and be respectful and add to the series. That’s what we feel."
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