General Motors plans to send a small group of executives to next week’s Las Vegas Grand Prix in hopes of jump-starting conversations with F1 and series owner Liberty Media about the Andretti application.
Indianapolis-based Andretti Global and partner Cadillac must still prove their commercial value to F1 rights holder Liberty Media and the existing teams, which vehemently oppose expanding the 20-car grid.
The bid that stands out most to Mohammed Ben Sulayem is from Andretti Global and General Motors—a supportive sign that Michael Andretti might indeed get the F1 team he’s been chasing for more than two years.
Andretti said in Thursday’s announcement—the culmination of four months of negotiations with General Motors—that the American automaker provides the Andretti effort the additional value rival teams have argued new teams must bring to F1.
The push to bring IndyCar driver Colton Herta to Formula One hit a wall that will likely keep the 22-year-old stateside for another season, raising questions about the sport’s accessibility to drivers who look to join from certain racing leagues.
Formula One has multiple inquiries from potential team owners who have taken a more behind-the-scenes approach than Michael Andretti, who has been “quite vocal” in his desire to expand the current grid, F1’s CEO said Wednesday.
Some drivers believe Formula One’s increasing visibility and popularity threaten American auto racing, stiffening competition for fans and nascent drivers who may gravitate toward a sexier, more global sport.
In the view of Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp., which owns the IndyCar series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, F1’s American expansion is a boon for all forms of motorsports.
The spotlight is on Colton Herta, a 21-year-old on the eve of a new IndyCar season who many think could be the next great American F1 driver.
IndyCar team owner Michael Andretti said “control issues at the 11th hour” derailed Indianapolis-based Andretti Autosport’s bid to buy the Alfa Romeo team from Sauber, but he has not given up on his attempt to acquire a Formula One team.
Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, drew a sellout crowd of 140,000 that reflected the growth of Formula One racing in a country that executives view as critical to the sport’s development.
Eight of the 33 starters in this year’s Indianapolis 500 had F1 experience. Drivers expect that number to grow in upcoming years.
