Formula One rejects Andretti's bid to join
Formula One announced on Wednesday it had blocked US outfit Andretti's bid to join the circuit, citing concerns over the team's level of competitiveness. Andretti, headed up by 1978 world champion Mario and his son, former McLaren driver Michael, had applied to become Formula One's 11th team from 2025 or 2026. "Our assessment process has established that the presence of an 11th team would not, in and of itself, provide value to the Championship," Formula One said in a statement. "The most significant way in which a new entrant would bring value is by being competitive. We do not believe that the Applicant would be a competitive participant," it added. Andretti Global is the parent company to Andretti Autosport and other Andretti ventures, with teams currently competing in seven series worldwide. They are most prominent in the IndyCar Series, in which the team fields four cars. Since Michael Andretti's involvement, the team has won the Indianapolis 500 five times (2005, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017) and the overall championship four times (2004, 2005, 2007, 2012). "While the Andretti name carries some recognition for F1 fans, our research indicates that F1 would bring value to the Andretti brand rather than the other way around," Formula One said. "The addition of an 11th team would place an operational burden on race promoters, would subject some of them to significant costs, and would reduce the technical, operational and commercial spaces of the other competitors," it added. Audi is scheduled to enter the series in 2026, while Porsche is also in talks with F1. (AFP)