Rumor: FOM dragging feet on Andretti so they miss 2025 (Update)

On the eve of the new Las Vegas GP, American carmaker giant General Motors has given Andretti’s chances of entering Formula 1 a massive boost, but Formula 1 could still make Andretti wait until Cadillac is ready with its own engine.

The involvement of GM brand Cadillac already helped Michael Andretti’s F1 aspirations get the official nod from the governing body FIA for a 2025 entry.

However, the door to the grid remains closed to Andretti-Cadillac due to F1 owner Liberty Media’s reluctance to agree commercial terms with an eleventh team entry.

AP news agency reported recently that F1 had even approached GM asking if the carmaker might abandon the Andretti project and tie-up with another team instead.

GM president Mark Reuss, however, declared last week: “GM is committed to partnering with Andretti to race in F1.”

And now, Formula 1 might struggle to keep opposing Andretti-Cadillac, given that General Motors has announced its official registration as a F1 engine supplier for 2028.

Until then, Andretti would have to run Cadillac-branded Renault or Honda customer engines, even though a deal with either of those suppliers is not done.

But with full works GM engines for Andretti in 2028, the case for an eleventh team entry in Formula 1 suddenly appears much more likely – or even inevitable.

“We are thrilled that our new Andretti-Cadillac F1 entry will be powered by a GM power unit,” GM president Mark Reuss declared in a statement on Tuesday.

“With our deep engineering and racing expertise, we’re confident we’ll develop a successful power unit for the series, and position Andretti-Cadillac as a true works team.

“We will run with the very best, at the highest levels, with passion and integrity that will help elevate the sport for race fans around the world,” he added.

A delegation of GM executives is expected to attend this weekend’s Las Vegas GP.

When in doubt, always follow the money. Rumor has it that FOM is stalling the Andretti-Cadillac approval, so they cannot be ready for the 2025 season.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

in 2026 the new Concorde Agreement will come into effect and Andretti’s entry will have to pay triple – $200 million vs. $600 million or maybe even more.

Should Andretti decide to sue FOM the EU courts will likely award Andretti a lot of money as they will not look kindly on this delay tactic.

The only question is whether the 10 existing teams will also be culpable given the role they have played in stopping Andretti’s entry behind the scenes and in the media

(GMM) As Formula 1 returns to the US this week to race at the highly-anticipated Las Vegas GP, Michael Andretti’s famous father says he “cannot understand” why the sport is opposed to a new American team backed by carmaker giant General Motors.

While the FIA has green-lit the Andretti-Cadillac bid, the deal is current stalled amid commercial talks with an unenthusiastic F1 owner Liberty Media – and similarly-opposed existing F1 teams.

“I can’t understand that,” Mario Andretti, the 1978 world champion who is now 83, told F1 Maximaal.

“I don’t know whether it’s wise to be happy with only 20 cars on the grid, if you look at the future and the increasing ambitions of Formula 1 given its popularity.”

The Italian-born American thinks the existing 10 teams are behaving “very selfishly”, which is “nothing new”.

“But the management of a racing series must always look at the big picture,” Andretti insisted.

He points out that Andretti-Cadillac is bringing “a new manufacturer who has never been in Formula 1 with us, and that must be worth something”.

“Everyone I speak to thinks the same way, so we are doing our best to check all the boxes. We’re not looking for favors, we just want to do whatever is asked of us.”

Some think Liberty Media is simply stalling long enough to prevent Andretti from being literally unable to enter Formula 1 in time for its 2025 target.

“That is currently the plan, but time is of the essence,” Andretti warned. “We are as ready as possible on all fronts, and we are also in suspense.”

The question now is whether Michael Andretti can negotiate through the current minefield, with his father admitting F1 is obviously “more political” than IndyCar or Formula E.

“Each discipline has different goals and different rules, so it is difficult to compare,” Mario said, “but Formula 1 has not exactly given us a warm welcome so far.”

For instance, he says that even Red Bull is opposed to Andretti-Cadillac, even if its boss Christian Horner sings a different tune behind the scenes.

“When I talk to him, he has few objections,” Andretti revealed. “We are friends with the team.

“I know Adrian Newey, because I worked with him, and I thought they’d be the last people to object, but it’s sometimes hard to explain why people say the things they say. But we have to look past that,” he added.