F1 News: Andretti to Pay $200 Million to F1 Following FIA’s “Rigorous” Questioning, but Only if They Get Accepted

America’s racing giant Andretti has been pushing to make its entry in F1 for a couple of years. The team has got the green light from the FIA but awaits approval from Formula One Management and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. Despite this hurdle, the team has partnered with GM (General Motors) and has been actively utilizing the Toyota wind tunnel to prepare a 2024-spec model. The team is gearing up for a potential 2025 entry, and if they get accepted, Andretti will need to pay F1 the $200 million dilution fee.

Andretti is expanding its design base in Silverstone, with plans to move to a larger facility soon. Research and development efforts are in progress in Charlotte at the GM motorsport headquarters. According to Andretti’s technical director, Nick Chester, there is a collaborative and unified spirit within the team, filled with the excitement to build a new F1 team.

Andretti is fully prepared to enter F1 as they submit extensive project documents to F1

The delayed approval from the FOM is largely due to the concerns raised by existing teams about potential financial instability that may arise with the addition of the 11th team to the F1 grid. However, the team, under the leadership of Michael Andretti, remains optimistic about their F1 future. The establishment of a base in the UK and recruitment of F1 technical talent are proof enough of their eagerness to join the pinnacle of motorsport. With over 120 team members, Andretti’s technical team is already close enough to current smaller F1 teams like Haas.

GM has also intensified its support for Andretti by committing to develop the engine for the team. They are also contributing to many other areas like Computational Fluid Dynamics development, roll-hoop design, and hydraulic systems. According to a report from The Athletic, Andretti recently submitted a 400-page document to F1 detailing their project for inspection.

F1 has to realistically asses the commercial and competitive merit of Andretti as a new F1 team owing to the failures of the new teams in the recent past. However, the new cost-cap era that was designed to close the gap between the smaller and bigger teams would work in favor of Andretti. If F1 does end up approving Andretti’s candidacy, the team would need to pay the $200 million dilution fee part of the commercial terms between the existing F1 teams, F1, and the FIA.

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Despite a pending approval, Andretti’s F1 prospect is gaining serious momentum as the team is getting more and more ready with every move.

Andretti is already recruiting talent from the top F1 teams

Appointed as the technical director for Andretti’s F1 project last spring, Nick Chester has highlighted that personnel from top teams like Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren have joined Andretti-Cadillac. According to Chester, the personnel from these teams were drawn to the project, motivated by the team’s commitment to winning and the potential to shape the future of the team in F1.

According to team owner Michael Andretti, F1 must see the positive impact of having a proper American works team on the grid and how its presence will enhance the championship and boost the popularity of F1 in the United States, which is something F1 already desires.

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Do you think F1 will give the green light to Andretti-Cadillac for the 2025 season? Share your predictions down below in the comments.