Andretti’s F1 Bid Gets Massive Boost From US Congress Amidst Pat Symonds’ Arrival in the Team

Last year, Formula 1 took to the USA for three races in the country, and it’s to be noted that there was no other country that had more than 1 Grand Prix in a season. The popularity of Formula 1 has exploded since the Netflix docu-series ‘Drive to Survive’, and more Americans are getting into the sport by the day. Andretti has been one team that has tried to find their way to the grid, and despite the FIA’s approval, they were rejected by the FOM.

Andretti’s bid was rejected in January for not bringing enough to the table for Formula 1, saying that it would not be just to split the money prize for the constructors championship. However, Andretti’s admission to F1 has become a concern for the US Congress parties, as they would like to see a US manufacturer on the grid. That will be possible by bringing in Andretti, as the team plans on partnering with Cadillac to bring in a new American F1 team.

Andretti is getting their affairs in order

Some members of the American Congress are unhappy with the Andretti Cadillac team being rejected by F1. A group of influential bipartisan senators is urging the Biden administration to investigate Formula 1’s rejection of Andretti Global’s bid to join the racing grid. The letter was led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), both members of the Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust. Along with them, Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) co-signed it.

The letter is directed to Jonathan Kanter, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, and Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission. The senators are concerned that F1 might be acting to protect existing teams, including foreign automakers, from competition by rejecting Andretti’s bid. They argue that F1’s rejection of Andretti could potentially be a group boycott, violating U.S. antitrust laws.

F1 hosted three races in the U.S. last year at Miami, Las Vegas, and Austin, more than any other country. Growing American fan base and financial incentives have always been part of the deal of coming to America and the country is ready for another F1 team. The U.S. government’s interest in F1’s actions is increasing, with prior pressures from House members and an independent inquiry by Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan. An investigation by the Justice Department or FTC, would escalate the issue significantly.

How is the CTO of Formula 1 helping Andretti?

Pat Symonds, the current CTO of F1 is looking to join the Andretti Cadillac team to bring the Americans onto the grid. Symonds will be moving from his role at the F1 to join the American team at their Silverstone base. He will have to serve a gardening leave before he can join the new team, and that might coincide with the entry of Andretti to F1. In the past, we have seen more than 10 teams participate in Formula 1, and this might be something they explore again.

There were 12 teams competing between 2010 and 2012, and the last time F1 had 26 cars on the grid was the 1995 Spanish GP. However, with this format, only the top 10 teams in the constructors championship get a split of the winning prize money. Andretti has been a successful team in other areas of Motorsports, like IndyCar Series, Indy NXT, Formula E, and Extreme E to name a few. Even Pat Symonds believes in their legacy in motorsports to give up a big position at F1 to join the team that is trying to get on the grid.

With that said, this is a huge push for the Andretti team, and things look bright for their future. However, in the end, nothing can be said for sure until the team is officially clears the bid and brings their car to the grid. Looking at how things are going, do you think Andretti will join F1 in 2026? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.