'Andretti not accepted by F1 despite partnership with Cadillac'

With Andretti Cadillac's announcement, it seems a matter of time before the team's entry will be approved. Yet it does not seem to be a one-two punch, because where the FIA is keen to see new teams come in, F1 is not. Thus, Stefano Domenicali already revealed that F1 also needs to give its approval.

Gap between FIA and F1

Here seems to be the main problem. A senior source within a team reported to Reuters that the chances of Andretti being accepted by F1 are extremely slim. Indeed, the majority of competitors would be against any grid expansion. Support for Andretti, for now, comes only from the camp of McLaren and Alpine, with the latter as a potential engine supplier for Andretti Cadillac.

The biggest stumbling block for F1 teams is the entry fee. A new team has to put $200 million in entry fees on the table, but the teams now think that is too little anyway. After signing up, the prize pool has to be divided among 11 instead of 10 teams, which means less money on balance. The USD 200 million now makes a poor comparison. The teams are reportedly aiming for $500 million.

Meanwhile, it only seems to add to the turmoil between F1 and the FIA. While Domenicali clearly stated that F1 must also give its approval, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the way things are going.