The Andretti Cadillac partnership between Michael Andretti‘s racing complex and the General Motors luxury brand might not be enough for F1
Andretti received an email invitation from Formula 1 Management on December 12th to have a face-to-face meeting. The meeting wanted to address the issue of a possible entry to the competition of the North American structure. However, that email was never read by the Americans as it was left in the ‘spam’ folder. This almost laughable situation might have been the reason for a negative answer by F1 management to the Andretti Cadillac proposal.
For over a year, Andretti Autosport has pursued their coveted spot in Formula 1. Clearing seemingly all hurdles, including FIA approval and a partnership with Cadillac-General Motors. F1 explained how new teams where supposed to “add value” to the competition, a way of rejecting private teams who just wanted to join F1 and partner with an engine supplier currently on the grid. So, the entry of a luxury brand like Cadillac from the General Motors group looked like a big enough name to consider. In the end, their aspirations were unexpectedly dashed by F1 itself. Citing that lack of “value addition” by an eleventh team, F1 postponed expansion till 2028. However, new details surface hinting at a potential oversight by Andretti that might have contributed to the rejection.
Martin Brundle from Skysports has given his thoughts and more details on the rejection of Andretti:
An email from F1 in the “spam” folder could be the reason behind the meeting not happening
According to PA Media news agency, Andretti received an email from F1 on December 12th inviting them to discuss their application in person. Andretti did not read or answered that email, and F1 could see that as a way of declining their offer. This missed opportunity for direct dialogue raises questions: Was it an innocent oversight, or did it influence F1‘s decision?
While speculation swirls, the official statement emphasizes the value assessment, leaving Andretti‘s misstep as an unconfirmed factor. Regardless, the episode presents a valuable lesson in professional engagement and pursuing opportunities with full commitment. For Andretti, the road to F1 may have gotten longer, but their determination and strategic adjustments could see them back vying for a slot in the future. Perhaps, in the next few years we could see a Cadillac Andretti car launch. We are currently seeing F1 Teams launching their liveries during February.
Andretti’s structure goes beyond F1 and they are present in many motorsports categories
F1 is the pinnacle of motorsports, but, that’s not where the competition ends. Michael Andretti‘s structure is a winning one in various categories such as Extreme E, Formula E, IMSA, Indy NXT and Indycar. Andretti’s Formula E team managed to secure a drivers and constructors title last year. Formula E champion Jake Dennis might be one of Andretti‘s bets for their F1 seat. However, Andretti openly talked about how their first option would be Indycar driver Colton Herta. He might not be an option, according to FIA rules he does not have enough superlicence points, which Dennis has.
Guillermo Lorenzo Manzano
