Christian Horner Expresses Surprise That Congress Is Getting In On Andretti Situation

The Formula 1 paddock has most of its focus on the task at hand — the Monaco Grand Prix — but this year, something is going on across the Atlantic Ocean here in the good ol' US of A, that's getting some attention.

It has to do with more and more interest from US lawmakers who want to get to the bottom of why Andretti Global and General Motors were denied entry to Formula 1 with concerns over possible violations of antitrust laws.

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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner commented on this situation and expressed surprise at the fact that Congress has decided to look into it.

"We're U.S. owned. We have five Fortune 500 companies on our car," Horner said, per ESPN's Nate Saunders. "I think this isn't about anything to do with Andretti being American. I think everything is purely down to the business model that is Formula One.

Christian Horner pumped Liberty Media's tires for bringing a strong business model to Formula 1. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

That business model has always been one of the sticking points, even though the Concord Agreement — which all 10 teams agreed to — allows for up to 12 teams.

Still, the new model that Liberty Media has allowed for a stable grid compared to previous eras in F1 history where teams were coming and going almost yearly.

Horner praised Liberty for setting up a system through which even teams at the back of the grid are valued at over a billion dollars and expressed surprise that Andretti Global was working with the US Congress.

"I'm surprised to see that Andretti has gone down this process," he said. "But hopefully, if they really want to find a way onto the grid, they will find it.

So what would be the best way to do that? Well, Horner said buy an existing team.

"I think if Andretti wants to come in, a little like when Audi acquired Sauber, I think to protect the current franchise stability that we have in this sport, then obviously their best route to goal is to then acquire one of the existing teams."