10 January 2023 , 18:06
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Michael Andretti has accused Formula 1 team bosses of being selfish and "greedy" as he faces significant resistance to his plan to launch his own racing outfit.
Andretti Autosport is already a major player in the motorsport world, but is yet to try its hand in the top single-seater racing series. That's not for lack of trying in recent times – after the collapse of the deal to buy Sauber in 2021, he is now focussed upon creating a brand new team.
Last week, the FIA opened the door to the possibility of a new team joining the grid as it launched its 'Expressions of Interest' process. To take advantage of that, Andretti has linked up with automotive giant General Motors for a joint entry with its luxury Cadillac brand.
But while the FIA and its president Mohammed ben Sulayem appear to be keen on that bid, the response from within F1 has been more cold. The sport itself made it clear that it would also have the final say on any prospective entry, but the real resistance is coming from the existing teams.
Many have complained that the $200m (£165m) dilution fee that would be split between the 10 current outfits would not be adequate compensation for an 11th team joining the grid. By being the most publicly outspoken, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has led the resistance.
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The vast majority of the current grid is against the Andretti-Cadillac entry. Only McLaren, led by the American's good friend Zak Brown, and Alpine – the prospective engine supplier to the Andretti team – have given indication that they would be happy to allow the 11th team to join.
Michael Andretti has tried to convince existing F1 team bosses to support his F1 plans – but few have backed him (Wilfredo Lee/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Reacting to the resistance he is facing, Andretti told Forbes : "It's all about money. First, they think they are going to get diluted one tenth of their prize money, but they also get very greedy thinking we will take all the American sponsors as well. It's all about greed and looking at themselves and not looking at what is best for the overall growth of the series.
"I'm not surprised – In Formula 1, the owners look out for themselves, not what is best for the series. That's the difference between president Mohammad's position and the team owners' position. President Mohammad is looking out for the future of the sport.
"Mohammad gets it. He's a racer and he understands the series needs to have one or two more teams. It is an FIA championship, and it [the FIA] holds most of the cards to get the expression of interest going." Andretti claimed F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali would be "very happy" to let his team join the grid.
Michael Andretti accused other F1 team bosses of being "greedy" (Paul Sancya/AP/REX/Shutterstock)He also went on to explain the merits of his Cadillac partnership and made it clear he does not plan to simply make up the numbers if given the green light to compete. "Cadillac will be very much involved in the manufacturing of the car," he added.
"If we get in, in 2025, there won't be a new engine yet, so we would have to go with a formula that is used now, but in 2026 there are various things we can do with another engine manufacturer. It would not be a badged engine, because there would be intellectual property from Cadillac in that engine, so that is not a badged engine.
"Our end goal is to be competing for the world championship five or six years down the road. We want to be competing and race against the best in the world. We aren't underestimating that. It will be a long, building process, but we have a good plan to eventually get us there."