Christian Horner maintained that Andretti’s nationality was irrelevant to their rejection from F1.
Christian Horner has insisted the reason behind the rejection of Andretti onto the F1 grid has nothing to do with them being American and suggested the quickest way onto the grid is to buy an existing team.
The Andrettis recently traveled to Washington in order to seek political backing for their bid. However, currently, the door to the F1 grid remains firmly closed.
Christian Horner reacts to latest Andretti F1 step
Despite facing rejection earlier this year, the American family remains undeterred and has recently introduced a new Silverstone base to carry on their F1 operations. Furthermore, they have successfully recruited Pat Symonds, luring him away from his previous technical position in F1.
However, at present, there is no conclusion in sight for this work as FOM remains steadfast in their rejection of Andretti’s entry and the existence of an 11th team. The current constructors have also expressed a similar perspective on this matter.
Given the recent development, Christian Horner was asked if his thoughts on the Andretti bid had changed during the build-up to the Monaco GP.
He informed the media, including PlanetF1.com, that in his opinion, Andretti possesses an exceptional racing legacy. He emphasized that Mario Andretti is a renowned figure in the sport and acknowledged their partnership with Cadillac, a renowned American automotive manufacturer.
“I believe that Formula 1 has stated that if they were to introduce their own engine in 2028, they would thoroughly assess it. Additionally, if Andretti were interested in joining, similar to Audi’s acquisition of Sauber, I think it would be necessary to safeguard the stability of the current teams in the sport. Therefore, the most viable approach for Andretti to achieve their objective would be to acquire one of the existing teams.”
However, numerous individuals outside of the paddock are increasingly sensing that the rejection is specifically targeted. Mario Andretti, for instance, asserted this week that Greg Maffei, the CEO of Liberty Media, expressed his determination to ensure that Michael Andretti never has the opportunity to participate in Formula 1 by stating, “I will exert all my influence to prevent Michael [Andretti] from entering Formula 1.”
The US fanbase has been increasingly resentful due to their belief that F1 gladly accepts their financial support but is not open to having a completely American team. However, Horner has made it clear that nationality is irrelevant in this matter.
“The fact that we are US-owned and have five Fortune 500 companies on our car is not necessarily reflective of Andretti’s American background or any related factors. Instead, I believe this is primarily attributed to the Formula 1 business model.”
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Not long ago, I recall that there were consistently two teams at the bottom of the grid, requiring financial assistance or facing technical insolvency.
“We have reached a point where Formula 1 is incredibly strong and prosperous. Credit must be given to Liberty for establishing a framework where even the weakest Formula 1 team likely holds a valuation of a billion dollars.”
“They deserve commendation for their approach of opening up the sport and attracting new fans.”
“I found it surprising that Andretti chose to enter the political process. However, if they are determined to secure a spot on the grid, I hope they are successful in finding a way. In my opinion, the most logical approach would be for them to consider acquiring an existing franchise, if one becomes available for sale.”
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