Formula 1 earlier this week rejected Andretti Global’s long-held bid to join the series in the 2025 or 2026 season, also denying the team’s corporate partner General Motors.
F1 claims it “would look differently on an application for the entry of a team into the 2028 Championship with a GM power unit,” but adds that the sport’s “research indicates that F1 would bring value to the Andretti brand rather than the other way around.”
Formula 1 decided to stick with the interests of its 10 current teams over the value of another major competitor with manufacturer-backed ambitions. The sport has become more popular in its Liberty Media-run era and organizers may feel they no longer need to bring in partners like GM.
Andretti’s bid started two years ago with an announcement of intent. Cadillac joined in January of 2023, then GM announced plans to produce powertrains for Andretti and only Andretti if the team was approved. Formula 1’s sanctioning body, the FIA, approved the team after an open application process. The operation had already made hires and begun wind tunnel testing a car for 2025. All that aside, F1 chose value to the owners of its existing teams over the most serious new application to enter the sport since Toyota and Honda built their works operations in the 2000s.
Michael Andretti and General Motors have not yet commented on the decision or on the implication that another application could be successful for 2028. In a social media post, Mario Andretti simply said, “I’m devastated. I won’t say anything else because I can’t find any other words besides devastated.”
