Andretti Global clears first hurdle to join Formula One as an 11th team with FIA expansion approval

The FIA on Monday said Michael Andretti meets all required criteria to field a Formula One team, an important step toward expanding the F1 grid to 11 teams.

The FIA on Monday said Michael Andretti meets all required criteria to field a Formula One team, an important step toward expanding the F1 grid to 11 teams.

The FIA decision does not guarantee Andretti will get a two-car team, and Andretti Global and partner Cadillac must still prove their commercial value to F1 rights holder Liberty Media and the existing teams, which vehemently oppose expanding the 20-car grid. The teams have no vote on Andretti expanding the grid.

However, Monday's announcement was a first, important step in Andretti's three-year quest to return one of racing's most storied names to the pinnacle of motorsports. Mario Andretti won the 1978 F1 championship and Michael, his son, ran 13 races during the 1993 season.

The father and son are among the most successful racers in American open wheel history and rank third and fourth on IndyCar's all-time win list. They've been trying for yearsto get the Andretti name back into F1 and cleared a hurdle while formalizing that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem supports the Andretti effort.

"The FIA is obliged to approve applications that comply with the Expressions of Interests application requirements and we have adhered to that procedure in deciding that Andretti Formula Racing LLC's application would proceed to the next stage of the application process," Ben Sulayem said.

"Andretti Formula Racing LLC was the only entity which fulfils the selection criteria that was set in all material respects. I congratulate Michael Andretti and his team on a thorough submission."

Ben Sulayem, who took over as head of FIA in late 2021, led the opening this year of an "expression of interest" process for potential new teams after Andretti petitioned for the grid to be expanded to allow new entrants. Andretti's motion came after a failed 2021 bid to purchase an existing team.