Michael Andretti is taken aback by the unexpected challenges in his quest to join Formula 1, blaming existing teams.
Michael Andretti remains hopeful about securing a spot in Formula 1 in the coming years, but he is surprised by the hurdles his application faces. He believes that the established teams are responsible for the Formula One Management (FOM) and Liberty Media starting to find issues and denying his entry.
“Formula 1 initially told us it would be difficult to secure a spot, but if we brought a manufacturer onboard, we would generally be admitted,” Andretti told the New York Times. “Unfortunately, the goalposts have started to move somewhat, and I think it’s because of the pressure from the teams.”
“When they began to complain, that’s what happened. It put FOM in a difficult position. Since then, our job has been to show that we will bring much more to the party than the slice of the pie we will take away.”
And the American confirms that General Motors is already heavily involved in the project: “I don’t think people realize the effort being made here, and that’s what we’re striving to show—it’s a massive effort. It will be as significant as the efforts of the major manufacturers in the sport today.”
“This is a real partnership with GM. They’re not just handling the engine, but are also deeply involved in the development of the chassis. We’ve already run parts through the wind tunnel. We’ve conducted crash tests on the nose and sides. A lot is happening, and GM is very, very involved in all of it.”
Before the U.S. Congress got involved, Andretti welcomed more open discussions with Formula 1: “Since they’ve seen what we’re doing, I think they’re viewing it differently. I hope they see it the same way we do. It seemed much more positive.”
“We are building the team right now. We are at 120 people. As I mentioned, we have a car in the wind tunnel, we are in the process of designing it, and GM has started working on the engine. We are moving forward as if we are going to compete.”
“Obviously, for us, the sooner the better, because there are many other talents on the sidelines who would like to join us, but they won’t leave their jobs until they know for sure that we are in the race.”
“That’s our biggest problem, but we still believe we can easily reach 2026 from where we are. We hope to get a response soon. We have never received a definitive no from them.”
While he is disillusioned to have to struggle so much, he is convinced that the fight is worth it: “It’s a fight I never thought I’d have to have, begging to enter the series, but I hope the effort will be worth it, and when we finally make it, it will be all the more satisfying and rewarding.”
Andretti Never Expected to ‘Beg’ to Enter F1. Andretti Never Expected to ‘Beg’ to Enter F1
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