Most Formula One fans and pundits alike would like to see the F1 grid with more than just the team teams as it is. Yet in days or yore the sport would often begin weekend with up to 36 cars entering pre qualifying.

In fact at the 1953 German Grand Prix, the starting grid had a record 34 entrants but then again this was held over the 14.167 miles of the Nordschleife where after a lap or two, the cars would be spaced out around the circuit.

The most recent team to join Formula One was Haas back in 2016. The entry process was simple and relatively speedy given F1 was in a difficult period after their latest three new entries from 2010 had all disappeared from the grid.

 

 

 

F1 paddock unite in Andretti rejection

Then in 2023, the president the FIA in somewhat controversial circumstances announced a process by which the governing body would asses any new applicants proposals to join Formula One. Andretti Global amongst others threw their hats into the ring, but almost to a mantle senior paddock figures would come out week after week explaining why it was impossible for Andretti to join F1.

Christian Horner suggested circuits like Zandvoort were only capable of hosting ten teams in their facilities. Yet this was a mere diversion given the Concorde Agreement which binds the teams, promoters, the FIA and Liberty Media and in this document there is provision for up to twelve teams.

Toto Wolff banged on each time he found a camera trained on him about Andretti not “adding value” when in reality the team bosses main concern was being diluted when it came down the prize money. Liberty Media had indicated they would not increase the pot accordingly for any new F1 entrants.

The farcical nature of this side show becomes even more bizarre when we consider just a year prior to the Andretti application, the teams had agreed a new Concorde Agreement which provided for the ‘dilution’ of prize money in the way of a $200m entry fee for any new competitors.

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FOM explain their reasons

Suddenly the teams decided this was not enough with then Haas team boss Guenther Steiner suggesting maybe $600m was a more approbate ‘anti dilution’ fee.

The FIA took its time and following several months of silence, Formula One’s governing body gave the green light to the Andretti business plan in October of 2023. Liberty Media then claimed they would do their own due diligence on the Andretti proposal but there was no response before the season ending finale.

Just days before testing was to begin this year, Liberty Media owned Formula One Management (FOM) returned with their decision on Andretti which was a resounding no.

Firstly they argued to join in 2025, Andretti would be forced to build two completely different cars in two seasons given the huge rule changes planned for 2026. They did not believe Andretti could deliver this.

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Liberty CEO insults Mario

FOM also suggested that Andretti had not confirmed an engine supplier for 2026, despite a tentative pre-contract arrangement between Andretti and Alpine.

Name recognition was another issue, with FOM claiming the Andretti name was not well known amongst F1 fans and further they simply did not believe the grid should be expanded beyond the current ten competitors.

FOM did however leave the door open for an Andretti entry in 2028, by which time General Motors would have time to build a new power unit for Andretti.

Yet behind the scenes, matters were extremely vitriolic and extremely personal. Liberty Media’s CEO of some nineteen years was caught insulting racing legend Mario Andretti on this year’s Miami grid. Maffei rudely interrupted a conversation between Stefano Domenicali and Andretti to drop the bombshell: “Mario, I want to tell you that I will do everything in my power to see that Michael never enters Formula 1,’” NBC reported.

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US Justice Dept investigation gathers pace

This was a reference to Mario’s son Michael, who founded the Andretti racing organisation back in 1994. On the same day, an open letter from a number of US lawmakers calling on the US Justice department to investigate F1 for anti-competitive practices was published, it could have been this which was the trigger for Maffei.

Matters would develop quickly as the US investigators demanded information pertaining to the rejection of the Andretti application. In September, FOM’s legal chief who had been in charge of the review of the application and subsequent advice to F1 left her position quietly.

Sacha Woodward Hill was formally appointed to the chief legal officer role in 2000, and had remained in that post until two months ago.

For the weekend of the USGP in Austin, TJ13 reported that Toto Wolff, Lawrence Stroll, Christian Horner and Stefano Domenicali arrived lawyered up with personal representatives given the US Justice investigators were also present.

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Andretti news coming  ‘soon’

There were rumours the four had been involved in a WhatsApp chat group whose detailed conversations revealed the parties had conspired to drive up anti-Andretti opinion.

Less than four weeks later, Greg Maffei announced this week he too was stepping down from his two decade long role, another long serving person was to bit the dust. The tea leaves appear to suggest that F1 is taking seriously the US Justice departments investigation who recently found against the NFL for anti-competitive practices and issued a fine of $4.7bn.

And now Mario reveals there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Andretti F1 project. Speaking to Italian publication La Gazzetta., the F1 legend was asked about the progress of his son’s operation.

“It’s a matter for my son Michael and his company, not me, What I can say is that news and changes are coming soon, and my full support goes to my son for all the decisions and choices he has made during this period.”

Formula One has always wanted to ‘crack’ the USA and now with three annual events scheduled for the next decade it appears to have climbed that mountain. Yet on the flip side it must now behave accordance with US law which may yet break open the private members club, known as the Piraña club.

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Young F1 driver “admires” Verstappen’s driving style

The 2021 Formula one season will be remembered for three things in particular. Lewis Hamilton taking out Max Verstappen at the British Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver responded in Monza which resulted in his rear wheels spinning an inch from Lewis’ head and of course the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Then 2023 was another memorable season as Red Bull and Max Verstappen rewrote the F1 record books like never before. This year the memories include the incredible ten race weekend win drought for the world champion which was ended by a sublime drive in Brazil in treacherous conditions where Max was peerless amongst the rest of the field.

The winless streak began way back at the Austrian Grand Prix, where Norris and Verstappen were the class of the field. The McLaren driver repeatedly harried Max for lap after lap before finally making a move into the infamous turn three… READ MORE