Formula 1 grid sizes may be in for an increase sooner rather than later following a statement of intent released by Andretti Global and General Motors today.
The two American motorsport powerhouses have been working together on an entry bid which would be represented by the Cadillac brand.
The two organisations released a statement saying “they will submit an Expression of Interest when the FIA opens the formal process. If selected, the team is seeking to compete as soon as practical with at least one American driver.”
The news come in response to the dramatically evolving interest in the sport in the United States. This increase has seen the addition of the Las Vegas Grand Prix and Miami Grand Prix recently to support the US Grand Prix in Austin.
Such demand can be attributed to a number of elements, including increased accessibility for viewing and reality shows such as Drive to Survive on Netflix.
Michael Andretti supported the announcement with a statement saying:
“We are continuing to grow Andretti Global and its family of racing teams and always have our eyes on what’s next. I feel that we are well suited to be a new team for Formula One and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans.
“I’m proud to have GM and Cadillac alongside us as we pursue this goal. GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing. We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid.
“Together, we will continue to follow procedures and steps put forth by the FIA during the evaluation process. In the meantime, we continue to optimistically prepare should we be fortunate enough to have Andretti Cadillac formally approved as a Formula One contender.”
General Motors’ President Mark Reuss is delighted at the opportunity to feature in one of motorsport’s top classes alongside the iconic Andretti name.
“General Motors is honored to team with Andretti Global on this historic moment in racing,” he said.
“We have a long, rich history in motorsports and engineering innovation, and we are thrilled with the prospect of pairing with Andretti Global to form an American F1 team that will help spur even more global interest in the series and the sport.
“Cadillac and F1 both have growing global appeal. Our brand has a motorsports pedigree that’s more than a century in the making, and we would be proud to have the opportunity to bring our distinct American innovation and design to F1.”
Whilst the statement of intent is just a beginning, the entry process is a time consuming and costly process.
Realistically, the team may look to join in 2026 at the next major regulation change.
If successful, the team will see Andretti Autosport continue to grow as a worldwide outfit. They currently run teams in Extreme E, Formula E, IMSA, IndyCar, Indy Lights and Supercars among others.
Their sole Indy Lights driver is New Zealander Hunter McElrea who was 2022’s Rookie of the Year. They also operate with a front-funning team in Supercars with Chaz Mostert and Nick Percat as drivers.
Most recently in Australia, the outfit scored a famous 1-2 finish in the penultimate race of the season in Adelaide.
