‘Greed wins’: Fury as F1 rejects new team, fans slam US slapdown

Formula One has blocked an iconic motorsports name from joining as a new team, in a surprising move that has F1 fans fuming.

F1 has rejected Andretti's team bid.

Formula One announced on Wednesday it had blocked US outfit Andretti’s bid to join the circuit, citing concerns over the team’s level of competitiveness.

Andretti, headed up by 1978 world champion Mario and his son, former McLaren driver Michael, had applied to become Formula One’s 11th team from 2025 or 2026.

“Our assessment process has established that the presence of an 11th team would not, in and of itself, provide value to the Championship,” Formula One said in a statement.

“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,” it added.

Andretti Global is the parent company to Andretti Autosport and other Andretti ventures, with teams currently competing in seven series worldwide.

They are most prominent in the IndyCar Series, in which the team fields four cars.

Since Michael Andretti’s involvement, the team has won the Indianapolis 500 five times (2005, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017) and the overall championship four times (2004, 2005, 2007, 2012).

Michael Andretti’s F1 entry bid was rejected. Picture: Tim Hunter.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. Photo: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images/AFP.

“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,” Formula One said.

“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,” it added.

Andretti’s rejection was widely criticised by fans, who argued it was a surprising move given Andretti’s name recognition, motorsport pedigree and potential for growth in the US.

I'd much rather have a team called Visa Cash App RB on the F1 grid than one called Andretti. Just think of all the motorsport heritage and history Visa Cash App has given us.

— Marcus Simmons (@MarcusSimmons54) January 31, 2024

Andretti rejected by #F1. Greed wins.

We have teams in the back half of the grid doing very little with the supposed ‘value’ that an 11th entry would threaten - but they’re welcome to stay 🙄

Flawed system.

— Glenn Freeman (@glennfreeman39) January 31, 2024

Imagine if F1 had rejected Stewart Grand Prix in 1997, we'd have no Red Bull today. Imagine if they'd rejected BAR (yes I know they took over an existing), we'd have no Mercedes. A rejection of Jordan? No Aston Martin. #F1

— Thomas Maher (@thomasmaheronf1) January 31, 2024

It’s a sad day for F1 that a team with such heritage and motorsport at its core is rejected

— Matt Gallagher (@MattP1Gallagher) January 31, 2024

Motorsport icon Mario Andretti, who won the 1978 F1 world title, tweeted: “I’m devastated. I won’t say anything else because I can’t find any other words besides devastated.”

Walkinshaw Andretti co-owners Zak Brown, Michael Andretti and Ryan Walkinshaw. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

Audi is scheduled to enter the series in 2026 (taking over Alfa Romeo), while Porsche is also in talks with F1.

There are currently 10 teams in the FIA’s premier series, which is seeking to build on its increased popularity in the United States.

The series added a second race in the United States in 2022 in Miami, which joined the race in Austin, Texas, with Las Vegas joining last year.

“We would look differently on an application for the entry of a team into the 2028 Championship with a GM (general Motors) power unit, either as a GM works team or as a GM customer team designing all allowable components in-house,” Formula One said.

“In this case there would be additional factors to consider in respect of the value that the Applicant would bring to the Championship.”

F1 icon reacts to Andretti rejection

Legendary commentator Martin Brundle said he would love to see an 11th team, but F1’s “punchy” statement now means it is at odds with the FIA and broadcasters on whether a new team should join the grid.

“As a Formula 1 fan, as a commentator, I would love there to be an 11th and indeed a 12th team on the grid, not least because drivers like Verstappen, Leclerc, Lando Norris, and others [like] George Russell at Mercedes have signed up for a very long time to stay in the same teams,” Brundle said on Sky Sports News.

“The calendar is fairly mature these days going forward, so it’ll be quite exciting to see that, but it’s much more complex than that.

“This does put the FIA absolutely head-to-head with Formula One Management and Liberty Media, the financial rights holders, because the FIA said yes, Formula 1 have said no to what they often refer to in that document, it’s just come out as an 11th team, rather than necessarily Andretti.

Former F1 world champ Mario Andretti was devastated by the move. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

“They’re quite rightly saying that for Andretti as a new team, ‘novice’, as they called them, to build a brand-new car for 2025 and then when the regulations change fundamentally for 2026 to start all over again, it’s too much of a tall order. They think they won’t be competitive.

“Andretti will no doubt say, ‘Well, give us a chance. We’re a mighty organisation with a lot of funding, we’ll show you what we can do and look at some of the other teams on the grid’ – so this is going to run for a good while.

“Also, a really punchy line in there says that ‘this would do more for the Andretti brand than it would for Formula 1’.

“Of course, there’s the logistics too of getting an extra team in the pit lane and around the world for what is a 24-race calendar this year. It’s not just as easy as going: ‘Well, yeah, let’s just put two more cars on the grid.’ We’ve got to get them on the grid, have a garage, have a pit lane big enough, and so on and so forth. So I’d say lots of rationale.

“This is peak F1 we’re in here and the teams no doubt will be saying: ‘Hang on a minute. Many of us have poured billions to get Formula 1 where it is now, into our team, and there’s demand all over the world for races. Fans, tickets, grandstands have sold out, you can’t just come and join our club now when everything’s going so well. You’re going to have to show us what you can bring to the table.’

“And F1 have clearly said today: ‘You’re not bringing enough to let us warrant an extra team on the grid’.”

Originally published as ‘Greed wins’: Fury as F1 rejects new team, fans slam US slapdown