Christian Horner, the Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, discussed the possibility of Andretti joining Formula 1 during pre-season testing in Bahrain. He suggested that Andretti could potentially enter the sport by taking over an existing team, rather than as a new 11th entry. The existing teams in F1 were initially opposed to the idea of welcoming a new team, as they were concerned about sharing the financial benefits they had worked hard to achieve after the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Formula One Management (FOM) ultimately rejected Andretti’s proposed bid, citing a lack of sufficient value compared to what F1 would bring to the team. However, Horner emphasized that the opportunity still exists for Andretti to negotiate a takeover of an existing franchise or team if they can come to commercial terms. Andretti’s owner, Michael Andretti, has previously explored this approach, engaging in negotiations with Sauber owner Finn Rausing in 2021. While those negotiations stalled, Andretti may now consider targeting a team like Haas, which currently has limited prospects in terms of performance and may be more open to a financial partnership.
Unfortunately, for the time being, owner Gene Haas is hesitant to part ways with his valuable asset and believes that the recent change in Team Principal is sufficient to capitalize on the hand-me-down mechanical parts from Ferrari.
However, if Andretti’s entry had been accepted, it is widely understood that they would initially operate with an Alpine customer engine deal until their Cadillac power unit was fully operational.
When questioned about this matter on multiple occasions, Alpine Team Principal Bruno Famin has consistently regarded it as a closed topic following the decision made by FOM.
Famin expressed his perspective during Thursday’s press conference, stating, “I believe it is Formula One’s responsibility to evaluate and assess the situation, determining whether an 11th team can truly contribute enough value to the championship. This is their championship, and we simply acknowledge their decision.”
McLaren competes against Andretti in both IndyCar and Extreme E, and CEO Zak Brown echoed Famin’s comments, emphasizing that the focus now is not on expanding the F1 grid but rather on concentrating on the upcoming season.
Brown added, “I agree with what Bruno [Famin] said. The decision has been made by Formula One, based on their criteria. Now, speaking for myself and my colleagues, we are fully committed to our own racing teams and moving forward with the season.”