Liberty taking ’time to analyse’ Andretti entry

Andretti’s entry into Formula "would be good for the sport".

That is the claim not only of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, but also the Paris-based federation’s new-in-2022 CEO, Natalie Robyn.

F1’s governing body has actually approved the Andretti-Cadillac bid, but it is now in the hands of the much-less-keen commercial rights holder - Liberty Media-owned Formula One Management.

"I didn’t think it would be this hard to get in," Michael Andretti told Bloomberg.

"First of all, they think we’re a bunch of hillbillies over here. That we don’t know what we’re doing."

Indeed, US-based Andretti has been highly successful in most other categories of top motorsport, notably Indycar, Formula E and even Australian supercars.

FIA CEO Robyn was asked by the Spanish newspaper Diario AS if she would understand if Liberty Media ultimately gave Andretti a firm "no" for the eleventh team entry.

"They now have their time to analyse the commercial side, so we’ll have to see," Natalie answered.

"I think it would be good for the sport to have an American team," she said, perhaps forgetting that Haas is also American.

"Much of the public that we see coming to F1 now is American, and of a very relevant and diverse age," the FIA CEO added.

Robyn said she thinks there is more upside than downside to an eleventh team.

"Well, that’s my point of view," she said. "But depending on who you ask, they may have a different point of view.

"But yes, I think it would benefit the sport."