The FIA has formally accepted Andretti Motorsport’s bid to enter the Formula 1 grid in 2023. However, the team still faces one more hurdle before their entry is confirmed. And it might not be as easy as getting the approval from the FIA.
The FIA released the following statement on 2nd October 2023:
“The FIA is obliged to approve applications that comply with the Expressions of Interests application requirements and we have adhered to that procedure in deciding that Andretti Formula Racing LLC’s application would proceed to the next stage of the application process. In taking that decision, the FIA is acting in accordance with EU directives on motorsport participation and development.
“Andretti Formula Racing LLC was the only entity which fulfils the selection criteria that was 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.
BREAKING🚨:
The FIA has approved Andretti’s bid to join the F1 grid ✅
The process now goes to F1/FOM for commercial discussions.#F1 pic.twitter.com/T2blH9vXub
— Autosport (@autosport) October 2, 2023
“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.
“I would like to thank all of the FIA team members involved in the Expressions of Interest process for their tireless efforts in ensuring a diligent assessment of all of the applications received.”
It was expected that the FIA would approve Andretti’s bid to enter the sport. Now that the FIA has formally approved Michael Andretti’s team to enter the Formula 1 grid, they still need to get the approval of the Formula 1 Management (FOM). This may prove to be more difficult than getting approval from the FIA.
F1 Responds as Andretti-Cadillac Await One Final Hurdle
Formula 1 is managed by 2 governing bodies: the FIA and the FOM. The FIA focuses on implementing rules and regulations for the sport. They provide race directors, marshals, and other officials for the race weekend. The FOM focuses more on improving the value of the sport.
The FIA has approved Andretti Motorsport‘s bid to enter the sport as they fulfill all the necessary requirements to form a new team. Soon after the FIA approved the bid, a member of the FOM released the following statement:
“We note the FIA’s conclusions in relation to the first and second phases of their process and will now conduct our own assessment of the merits of the remaining application.”
Toto Wolff wants a new team in F1, but only if they can add value to the sport 👀
Would you like to see Andretti in #F1 soon? Let us know in the comments 💬👇#Andretti #Mercedes #TotoWolff #Motorsport pic.twitter.com/49OdjDvsSo
— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) August 9, 2022
The FOM will now discuss among themselves to see how Andretti can add to the value of the sport. They will also be consulting the existing Formula 1 team to make sure that they have their support as well. As it stands, not a lot of teams are enthused by the fact of an 11th team. This is mainly because the prize money will be shared by 1 other team. So this would reduce the share received per team.
If the majority of the teams are against Andretti’s bid, the FOM could reject the prospect of an 11th team for the time being. The FOM will also be evaluating how Andretti could add to the value of the team. The American team has found success in the IndyCar series in the United States. This could attract quite some viewers from the region. It will be interesting to see if FOM will approve Andretti’s bid to enter the sport in 2026.