Andretti's bid to enter F1 rejected - here's the full reasons why

Andretti's bid to enter F1 with General Motors' Cadillac brand has been rejected by FOM. 

The US-based team's bid had been approved by motorsport's governing body, the FIA, in October, but the final green light needed from FOM itself has not come. 

After an assessment period, F1 determined that an 11th team alone does not add value to the world championship. 

"While the Andretti name carries some recognition for F1 fans, our research indicates that F1 would bring value to the Andretti brand rather than the other way around," an F1 statement read. 

F1 also revealed it had written to Andretti on December 12 2023 inviting the applicant to an in-person meeting "in order for the Applicant to present its application, but the Applicant did not take us up on this offer."

However, F1 has only rejected Andretti's entry bid for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, leaving the door open for the team to take the 11th spot from 2028, once General Motors is ready to come onboard. 

"We would look differently on an application for the entry of a team into the 2028 Championship with a GM power unit, either as a GM works team or as a GM customer team designing all allowable components in-house," F1 added. 

"In this case there would be additional factors to consider in respect of the value that the Applicant would bring to the Championship, in particular in respect of bringing a prestigious new OEM to the sport as a PU supplier." 

FOM's conclusions in full 

- Our assessment process has established that the presence of an 11th team would not, on its own, provide value to the Championship. The most significant way in which a new entrant would bring value is by being competitive. We do not believe that the Applicant would be a competitive participant.

- The need for any new team to take a compulsory power unit supply, potentially over a period of several seasons, would be damaging to the prestige and standing of the Championship.

- While the Andretti name carries some recognition for F1 fans, our research indicates that F1 would bring value to the Andretti brand rather than the other way around.

- The addition of an 11th team would place an operational burden on race promoters, would subject some of them to significant costs, and would reduce the technical, operational and commercial spaces of the other competitors. 

- We were not able to identify any material expected positive effect on CRH financial results, as a key indicator of the pure commercial value of the Championship.

- On the basis of the application as it stands, we do not believe that the Applicant has shown that it would add value to the Championship. We conclude that the Applicant’s application to participate in the Championship should not be successful.

- We would look differently on an application for the entry of a team into the 2028 Championship with a GM power unit, either as a GM works team or as a GM customer team designing all allowable components in-house. In this case there would be additional factors to consider in respect of the value that the Applicant would bring to the Championship, in particular in respect of bringing a prestigious new OEM to the sport as a PU supplier.