F1 News
Andretti still busy with F1 entry: "Met everything so far".
- GPblog.com
Michael Andretti has still not received a commitment from all the bodies involved to enter Formula 1. Father Mario Andretti is also still busy every day behind the scenes trying to get the F1 team off the ground.
Andretti still meets all the conditions
According to the family, Andretti's racing team should appear at the start of the F1 season in 2024, but time is still running out. As long as no commitment is made, there is no point in the team making the necessary (extremely expensive) preparations. In consultation with the FIA, the FOM, Liberty Media and the teams, among others, the Andrettis are for the time being only stalling, although every requirement has so far been met.
In the WTF1-to-1 podcast 1978 F1 World Champion Mario Andretti said, "we are actually working on it every day. We have a team on the ground in Europe and here [in the United States]. Michael and his team and I are answering questions every day and trying to meet all the conditions. That's all we can do. So far I can't think of anything we haven't met." Despite the team's serious intentions and available funding, it doesn't seem to be getting off the ground any time soon.
Rejection would be biggest disappointment ever for Andretti
Andretti doesn't sound frustrated yet, but he will be more and more so. The Former IndyCar Champion goes on to explain the procedure: "We don't really have time for that, it's very complicated. They can make it as complicated as they want. You have to satisfy so many organisations. Sometimes I can't believe that the process has to be so difficult." The American is asking to be taken seriously by the F1 organisation. After all, the idea is that the Andretti team is entering Formula One for the long term. "We just want to race; this is our life!"
Andretti, meanwhile, already spoke to all the team bosses. It also seemed for a while that talks with the team bosses were going well and that it was possible to get approval from the F1 grid. Andretti: "When you have agreed on one thing, the situation suddenly changes. It's not very clear where the real resistance is, but I would say it's probably with the teams or with Liberty Media." Should Andretti's project fail and should there be no Andretti Racing Team on the grid in 2024, it would be the biggest disappointment in his racing career for the 82-year-old American.