Andretti still hoping to get F1 ’ok’ for 2026 debut

Andretti-Cadillac is still hoping to be on the Formula 1 grid in 2026.

That is despite the fact that, notwithstanding the FIA’s approval, Formula 1 owner Liberty Media issued a firm ’no’ to the hopeful American team entrant at least until GM has its own engine up and running by 2028.

But Andretti Global, the parent company for the Michael Andretti-led organisation that also races in Indycar and Formula E, last week inaugurated a new facility for the F1 project at Silverstone.

Mario Andretti, an F1 legend and fellow former F1 driver Michael’s father, told Sports Illustrated that the project is still targeting a 2026 debut.

"We’re continuously working on it every day, regardless of what was represented to the press so far," said the 1978 world champion.

"The FIA has put us through the ringer, if you will, for us to be able to check all the boxes and we have one more blessing that we need from the FOM. We’re having a key meeting coming up and hopefully we have some positive results from that," Mario Andretti, 84, added.

He says the project never eased off the throttle following Liberty Media’s rejection, with a scale model already being worked on in the wind tunnel.

"Right now the objective is to be on the grid in 2026," said Andretti.

"There’s so many key elements here to be defined once we have a total ’ok’. Because even very experienced individuals want to join us and we have to have a positive ’yes’ that we’re going to go before we obviously extend a contract.

"Once we get the ’ok’, we don’t start from scratch. We are already on our way."

However, there are reports that Liberty and the existing F1 teams are keen on limiting the number of teams allowed on the grid to just ten in the next Concorde Agreement. Currently, the maximum limit is 12.