“We will do whatever F1 asks to get on the grid”

April 26, 2024 10:48

Mario Andretti, former driver and Formula 1 champion in 1978, defended the Andretti team’s determination to enter the category. Even after the initial rejection of the request for the 2026 season, Andretti claims the team is ‘willing to do whatever F1 asks’.

FOM (Formula One Management) denied Andretti entry, claiming that the team would not add enough value to the category. However, Andretti disagrees: “I don’t think we deserve this. It’s a big investment and you’d imagine it would be welcomed. The value of F1 would only increase with eleven teams,” he said.

To demonstrate commitment, Andretti opened headquarters in Silverstone, England, and has already started recruiting for 60 vacancies. The team also plans to participate in Formula 3 and Formula 2, in addition to developing a prototype chassis by the end of the year.

Despite his conciliatory stance, Mario Andretti does not hide his upset at the initial criticism. “GM said several times that it would be Andretti or nothing, and F1 even tried to sign another team. There’s something I don’t understand. If they want blood, well, I’m ready,” he said.

He also points to the lack of communication as one of the obstacles. “There were not enough meetings. I hope that in the next meetings we can move forward. We show that we are working and not just talking.”

The next opportunity for dialogue will be during the Miami GP weekend. Mario Andretti believes that the team just needs to know what FOM’s requirements are to meet them. “We were told nothing but excuses like, ‘We don’t want you to come in and embarrass yourselves.’ But we don’t want to embarrass ourselves. GM is excited and committed. I don’t know what else we can do”, concluded the former driver.

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