Formula 1 Rumor: Andretti-Cadillac to enter F1 without Andretti

When Formula 1 rejected Andretti Global’s application to enter F1 they made it crystal clear that they wanted Cadillac, but not Michael Andretti.

It appeared personal at the time.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Formula 1 commercial rights’ holder, Liberty Media, even went so far as suggesting that Cadillac team up with the Williams F1 Team instead of Andretti.

Something does not add up

We don’t buy that Michael Andretti has decided he wants to do other things in his life now that he is 62.

Everything he’s done in the last several years has been long term, not something you would walk away from.

The new HQ, is being built on a grand scale with the plan to enter Formula 1. You don’t just walk away from that all of a sudden.

The Silverstone acquisition earlier this year, was done to set up a base in England to service the F1 and Formula E teams.

Attempting to join F1 is not a short-term project. In July, Andretti purchased a $20M Dassault Falcon 900EX Easy that is capable of reaching London from Indy non-stop. He kept his Falcon 2000.

He had to have been pretty committed to a longer term to do the above. And now he’s ready to step aside and smell the roses?

It is apparent Andretti fell on his sword to salvage an F1 entry

Group 1002 CEO Dan Towriss’ funding served as the backbone of Andretti Global’s entry into F1 as a team when the FIA opened applications for an 11th racing outfit to join the grid

One can safely assume Michael was asked to step aside by both Dan Towriss and Cadillac due to Liberty Media’s disdain of him (for reasons we do not totally understand, other than he went public and tried to force his way into F1 instead of doing it behind the scenes).

Speculation now suggests Cadillac will buy Andretti’s share of the team to help gain approval by Formula One Management to enter as the 11th team.

Often, Manufacturers own F1 teams – think Mercedes, Ferrari, Sauber/Audi, McLaren and Alpine/Renault. To have Cadillac own a portion of the Andretti team with Dan Towriss as the majority owner will go a long way toward Liberty Media giving the team the green light to enter F1.

Keeping the Andretti name on the team would be for sponsorship reasons, even if Michael has zero ownership. Speculation is that Towriss and Cadillac were told, push Michael out of an ownership position and come into F1 together – we want you, just not him.

Cadillac is still committed to supplying engines to the team starting in 2028, and we assume if entry is approved, the team will be called Andretti-Cadillac.

On the news that he is ceding control of the team he built from scratch, Michael Andretti said, “I’ll be involved as an advisor as well as an ambassador,” which means he can still attend the F1 races and give recommendations, but he won’t be attending any F1 team owner meetings with Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei at the head of the table.

Mario Andretti met with the US Congress on Capital Hill

A side note to this rumor is what will be the outcome of the US Congress anticompetitive practice investigation in denying Andretti entry into F1. Will it be withdrawn now that Andretti has stepped aside and if the team (with Cadillac) then gets F1 approval, or will it go forward and unearth some dirty behind the scenes maneuvers that will break up Liberty Media?