General Motors Will Reportedly Only Enter F1 In Partnership With Andretti Global, Which Could Give The Team Some Serious Leverage In Its Quest To Join The Grid
The Andretti-Cadillac Formula 1 saga continues, but from the sound of it, whether or not they'll get on the grid, both parties plan to do it together. According to the Associated Press, General Motors president Mark Reuss said the company — which owns the Cadillac brand — has no plans to enter F1 unless it's in partnership with Andretti Global.
“GM is committed to partnering with Andretti to race in F1,” Reuss said. “The collaboration between Andretti-Cadillac brings together two unique entities built for racing, both with long pedigrees of success in motorsport globally.”
That's pretty big. The partnership with GM's Cadillac Racing is one of the biggest bargaining chips that Andretti Global has at its disposal. F1 wants manufacturers getting involved in the sport, and having GM aboard.
Previous reporting from the AP said that F1 had even tried to get GM to find a new partner to join the grid with.
This Is A Big Vote Of Confidence For General Motors
This all comes as the headbutting between Michael Andretti and Formula 1 continues to escalate. Andretti said at the United States Grand Prix that he no longer receives answers when he texts or calls F1 president Stefano Domenicali. He also recently said that the rest of F1 looks at him and his team as a bunch of "hillbillies."
However, Andretti Global won't be deterred, nor should they be with that vote of confidence from General Motors.
Andretti Global still has everything moving toward a 2025 debut. They recently wind tunnel-tested a car built to 2023 specs. GM will reportedly also send representatives to the Las Vegas Grand Prix later this month. That's in hopes of getting conversations moving.
Andretti-Cadillac got a thumbs up from the FIA, but the approval from Formula 1 was always going to be the challenge. Money is of course a real (and valid) sticking point but I think we're just seeing both sides playing some serious hardball.
I can't imagine F1 losing out on getting GM into the fold as part of an American team. Especially one under the Andretti name. That seems too good to pass up.
But who knows? Maybe they will.
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