The Andretti family’s American racing team is one step closer to joining Formula 1 in 2026. The FIA has approved the request of the family of Mario Andretti, the 1978 world champion.
The International Automobile Federation announced that approval had been granted for sporting, technical and financial reasons. The team’s sustainability plans were also tested, as was its positive social impact plan.
Andretti will now enter the third and final stage of the application process. The team will discuss commercial issues with Formula One Management (FOM). If this hurdle is also overcome, Andretti will be the 11th team on the grid in 2026.
The Andretti team is run by Michael Andretti, son of Mario Andretti (pictured above), who was also a Formula 1 driver. The team is already active in the IndyCar, IMSA and Formula E championships.
If Andretti makes his Formula 1 debut in 2026, that will be the year in which the new technical rules for engines will be implemented. Andretti already works with Cadillac, a brand of the American auto giant General Motors. It’s not clear if the team wants to build the engine itself in the short term.
Formula 1 is becoming more popular in the United States
Andretti’s ambitions are in line with the growing popularity of Formula 1 in the United States. This is partly due to the success of the Netflix series Driving to survive. A second race in the country has already been added in 2022.
The Andretti team was already close to taking over the Swiss car in 2021, Sauber, which operates in Formula 1 under the Alfa Romeo colours. That deal fell through, but joining the premier class of motorsport now appears to be in the works.
In addition to Andretti, there were three other teams that reached the second stage of the FIA registration process. Unlike Andretti, these teams were not able to come up with a solid plan.
