The drama between Michael Andretti and the old guard of Formula 1 continues. While the sport’s governing body, the FIA, approved the American team’s entry to the grid with backing from General Motors and Cadillac, F1 itself has yet to accept the application. Even so, Andretti’s position recently got much stronger, as GM announced that it would develop and build power units in-house beginning in 2028.
Beyond the financial implications of an 11th team joining the grid, some F1 teams opposed GM’s entry to the sport because the automaker was viewed primarily as a sponsor, and some thought it would simply borrow and rebrand a power unit from another company. The automaker’s move to in-house development is seen as a massive step forward for Andretti’s hopes, as it shows GM’s commitment to a presence in the sport.
This is all very exciting for Andretti and a good sign for a competitive future in F1, but if the American team gains entry to the sport, it will have to wait until 2028 to run the power units. It’s unclear which manufacturer Andretti would be able to lean on in the meantime, but the grid is about to gain a few new names on that side of the sport. Ford will rejoin F1 to work with Red Bull in 2026, along with Audi, who will partner with Sauber.
[Image: Cristiano Barni via Shutterstock]
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