A story that takes on grotesque contours
After obtaining the OK from the FIA, the American team Andretti Global received a firm ‘no’ from FOM (Liberty Media) regarding an entry into F1 in 2025 or 2026, a season for which the Andretti team had reached an agreement with Cadillac (General Motors) regarding the construction of the power unit. Andretti did everything it needed to be worthy of racing in F1 and the FIA gave the OK, but for commercial reasons FOM did not welcome an eleventh team into the Circus.
On the occasion of the Miami Grand Prix a private meeting at the Palm Club regarding Andretti Global’s desire to enter F1. The political lights have also turned on the issue. The Chamber of Judges, in fact, asked Liberty Media for explanations about what happened and this very aspect was being explored in detail at the Palm Club.
“I was trying to explain to Stefano Domenicali that it was Washington who called us after he had witnessed a Red Bull performance – the words released to NBC from Mario Andrettiworld champion in F1 in 1978 and father of Michael, owner of Andretti Global – and at that moment Greg Maffei entered the conversation and said ‘Mario, I want to tell you that I will do everything in my power to ensure that Michael never enters Formula 1’. I couldn’t believe it, she really shocked me. We’re talking about business. I didn’t know it was something so personal. It was like a bullet in the heart.”. Maffei’s words did not discourage Andretti from continuing his battle to finally see the doors of the F1 paddock opened: the American team, in fact, has signed Pat Symonds as he leaves the role of technical manager of F1.
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