A seemingly inevitable conclusion to Andretti’s proposed Formula 1 bid was that it was rejected by Formula One Management (FOM) last Wednesday and despite it being an unsurprising development, the decision has been met with a largely negative response amongst the IndyCar fraternity, where Andretti features prominently.
Andretti Autosports boasts four INDYCAR Series championships and five wins in the famous Indianapolis 500.
One of those five Indy wins came courtesy of Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2014 and the American ace also took an IndyCar series title for the outfit in 2012 during his 12 years with the team.
Hunter-Reay will be competing for victory at the Indy 500 once again in 2024 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and during the press conference announcing his ride at Indianapolis, he was asked to give his take on Andretti’s F1 snub.
“It just doesn’t make sense,” Hunter-Reay said.
“Obviously Andretti has the funding, the capabilities of going in there, and I think being competitive.
“Look at the past. I think Marshall Pruett said it yesterday afternoon or whatever it was, that you enjoyed watching some of these underdog teams come in and try and fight against the powerhouses of McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes.
“It kind of leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It makes you feel like this isn’t the real deal, this isn’t what racing is all about.”
FOM cited reasons including but not limited to a lack of competitiveness regarding the Andretti F1 bid and the multi-point rejection penned by FOM was labelled “One of the top five dumbest statements I’ve ever read,” by Hunter-Reay’s 2024 Indy 500 teammate and former Andretti driver Conor Daly on social media.
Callum Ilott is well-versed in F1 culture from his time on the junior ladder, as well as IndyCar thanks to his two full seasons with Juncos Hollinger Racing and he also penned a statement on social media, saying “Not sure what else is missing to get an F1 entry.
“If they couldn’t get an entry I don’t see how anyone else ever can?”
Others within the IndyCar paddock took the opportunity to showcase the competitiveness of the series, implying that the close racing stateside is a trump card over F1.
Multiple IndyCar race winner Scott McLaughlin wrote, “Take your 10 teams. We will have 27 cars within a second in a few weeks, having zero idea Sunday morning who’s going to win the race. All the very best.”
The New Zealander also stated his confusion regarding F1’s interest in expanding in the American market whilst simultaneously barring an American entry.
“A racing series wants to expand into America,” he said.
“But won’t allow any more American teams in it. Makes sense.”
Graham Rahal labelled F1 as “an elitist sport” last year.
“They don’t want us. Remember that. They want US companies’ money, they want wealthy US individuals’ money.
“But they don’t care about the rest. Always has been that way, always will be.”
Andretti has titles in IndyCar, and Formula E and runs race-winning operations in the likes of IMSA as well.
The American team’s operations run beyond those three series and as Oriol Servia ( a two-time race starter for Andretti in Champ Car/IndyCar) pointed out, they’re used to success.
“As a team I believe they have won a few things along the way in every championship they have entered: Indycar, IMSA, Formula E, Indianapolis 500, Extreme E, Indy Lights,” Servia said.
The history of competitiveness being rejected by FOM called Servia to add that the outcome, although likely to be “a more complex decision to what it may appear to some of us” was “despicable and insulting.”
Servia added: “Andretti Global brought to the table funding, commitment, a top-notch manufacturer with Cadillac and GM, a US-based team, earned ‘charisma’ and three generations of motorsport excellence.
“Hard to argue against the fact that Mario Andretti and Michael Andretti himself are not part of the foundation where F1 sits today.”
Despite Michael Andretti’s F1 career being shortlived, his racing career in the United States of America certifies him as a racing legend, with more Champ Car victories than any other driver and the 1991 title to go along with it.
His father Mario meanwhile, a vocal supporter of the F1 team bid, is America’s most recent F1 World Champion thanks to his success with Lotus in 1978 and his legacy still resonates with fans of the sport in the present day.
Discussion about this post