Andretti One Step Closer To Being On F1 Grid As 11th Team, Still One Major Hurdle To Clear

We're another step closer to seeing the Andretti name back on the Formula 1 grid in the form of the series 11th team.

The FIA has officially given the okay for Andretti Global and its proposed joint entry with GM's Cadillac. Now, they just need approval from Formula 1 commercial rights holder Formula One Management, or FOM.

And that could be the tricky part.

The FIA approval is a big step in the right direction, and it's not all that surprising that it happened. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was supportive of the Andretti/Cadillac bid from the moment it was announced.

Even before Formula 1 and the FIA announced plans to look into adding a team or two to the grid, Andretti was easily the biggest name floating around. Of course, the surname alone carries a lot of cache in that it's virtually synonymous with racing around the world, but it was also because Michael Andretti made it abundantly clear that he wanted to put a team on the grid.

Formula 1 Has Been Picky About What It Wants Out Of 11th Team... If It Wants One At All

Andretti first tried to buy Sauber (which currently races as Alfa Romeo) in 2021 but was ultimately unsuccessful. Audi purchased a minority stake in the team and it will race under the German marque's name beginning in 2026.

Michael Andretti was extremely vocal about this and was occasionally seen at races talking to various, powerful figures throughout the process. During this time many team principals and even F1 president Stefano Domenicali seemed less than enthused about adding an 11th team. Especially if it was Andretti.

This is why getting FOM approval will be the hardest part of the entire process.

One of the major sticking points will be what the addition of an 11th team will do to revenue sharing. An additional team means smaller pieces of the pie for everyone else.

Unless they grow that pie.

It stands to reason that Andretti and Cadillac could make that happen given it would be a combination of one of the most famous names in American racing teaming up with an iconic American automotive brand.

Still, that's a tall order. While Formula 1's popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. That means more money coming into the series from fans, TV deals, and advertisers. However, the complete lack of a title battle this season has kind of cut into that growth.

That doesn't bode well for Andretti.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali has at times sounded less than enthusiastic about the prospect of adding an 11th team to the grid. (Photo by Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images)

Andretti Still Faces A Tough Battle With F1, Current Teams

Of course, if welcomed onto the grid Andretti and Cadillac would be an anti-dilution fee, just like any expansion team would in the NHL, MLB, NFL, or NBA. That figure is reported to be $200 million.

That means each current team would receive $20 million to make up for money lost by the addition of a new team.

However, that's a sticking point as well. According to Motorsport.com, other teams have argued that because the values of other teams continue to go up, so too should the anti-dilution fee. Some think it should be closer to the $600 million mark.

When Andretti first tried to start a new team, one of the arguments against it was that F1 wanted more engine suppliers and OEMs in the series. So, that's why Andretti joined forces with GM and its Cadillac brand which has been very successful in endurance racing.

I think this pairing would offer a lot to Formula 1, but the revenue-sharing concerns are legitimate ones. The FIA approval was big, but you can expect FOM to go through Andretti and Cadillac's bid with a fine-toothed comb before we hear whether or not they become the 11th team on the Formula 1 grid.

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