RYAN HUNTER REAY, a member of Andretti Autosport, stood on the podium at the Winners’ Circle during the Victory Celebration of the IZOD IndyCar World Series on September 15, 2012 in Fontana, USA. The news of Andretti’s failed attempt to enter Formula 1 was not surprising, but it has received a mostly negative response from the IndyCar community, where Andretti is a prominent figure.
Andretti Autosports has achieved great success in the INDYCAR Series, winning four championships and five times at the prestigious Indianapolis 500.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, who has been with the team for 12 years, secured one of those five Indy wins in 2014 and also claimed an IndyCar series title for Andretti Autosports in 2012. In 2024, Hunter-Reay will be competing for victory at the Indy 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. During a press conference announcing his participation, he was asked about his thoughts on Andretti’s rejection from Formula 1.
Hunter-Reay expressed his disbelief, stating that it doesn’t make sense. He believes that Andretti has the necessary funding and capabilities to be competitive in Formula 1. He also mentioned how watching underdog teams challenge the powerhouses of McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes has been enjoyable in the past. The decision to exclude Andretti from Formula 1 leaves a negative impression and goes against the true spirit of racing.
FOM has given reasons for rejecting the Andretti F1 bid, citing a lack of competitiveness. Hunter-Reay’s teammate, Conor Daly, criticized FOM’s rejection, calling it one of the dumbest statements he has ever read.
Callum Ilott, who has experience in F1 and IndyCar, expressed his confusion about the requirements for an F1 entry. He questioned how anyone else could get an entry if Andretti couldn’t.
Others in the IndyCar paddock highlighted the competitiveness of the series compared to F1. Scott McLaughlin, a multiple IndyCar race winner, emphasized the close racing and unpredictability of the series, stating that they will have 27 cars within a second and not knowing who will win the race.
McLaughlin also questioned F1’s interest in expanding in America while not allowing more American teams to participate. He found it contradictory that a racing series would want to expand in a country but restrict American teams from joining.
Graham Rahal criticized Formula 1 as “a sport for the privileged” last year.
“They have no interest in us. Remember that. They only want money from American companies and wealthy individuals.
“But they don’t care about the rest. It has always been this way and always will be.”
Andretti has achieved championships in IndyCar and Formula E, and their successful operations extend to IMSA and other racing series.
The American team’s accomplishments span across various championships, including Indycar, IMSA, Formula E, the Indianapolis 500, Extreme E, and Indy Lights,” noted Oriol Servia, who has raced for Andretti in Champ Car/IndyCar.
The history of competitiveness that Andretti Global brings to the table was disregarded by Formula One Management (FOM), which Servia described as “despicable and insulting.”
Servia added, “Andretti Global provided funding, commitment, a top-tier manufacturer in Cadillac and GM, a US-based team, earned ‘charisma,’ and three generations of motorsport excellence.
“It is difficult to argue against the fact that Mario Andretti and Michael Andretti themselves are not part of the foundation on which F1 stands today.”
Although Michael Andretti’s F1 career was brief, his racing achievements in the United States solidify his status as a racing legend, with more victories in Champ Car than any other driver and the 1991 championship title.
Meanwhile, Mario Andretti, a vocal supporter of the F1 team bid, remains America’s most recent F1 World Champion, having achieved success with Lotus in 1978, and his legacy continues to resonate with fans of the sport today.