During the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Pat Symonds engages in a conversation with Graeme Lowdon from Andretti.
Andretti securing the services of Pat Symonds is a hugely significant moment in its quest to attain F1’s approval to join the championship.
Andretti caused a surprise on Tuesday when they revealed that Symonds, who was the head of Formula 1’s technical department, has decided to leave and join their growing F1 endeavor.
Pat Symonds switch to Andretti is a clear statement of endorsement
Andretti’s press release to the media was very straightforward in outlining why Symonds has been signed, with the 70-year-old joining “in pursuit of entering the FIA Formula One World Championship”.
The past six months have proven to be both intriguing and somewhat challenging for the Andretti squad. In response to the FIA’s request for new team proposals, Andretti was the sole applicant to successfully meet the governing body’s stress tests and receive the green light to participate in the championship.
However, after being transferred to Formula One Management under Liberty Media for commercial approval, which involves securing a team’s agreement to the Concorde Agreement, the application was rejected in January.
In addition, the rejection was expressed in straightforward terms. F1 explicitly stated that it doubted Andretti’s ability to immediately contend and even their partnership with General Motors/Cadillac in terms of engines was insufficient to change their opinion until actual production of power units commenced. However, they did leave the possibility of entry in 2028 open.
Naturally, there exists a legitimate motive to currently prevent Andretti’s involvement. By successfully covering the entry fees of $200 million, which were finalized in 2020, in addition to investing a few hundred million dollars to establish a team and securing entry within the next couple of years, Andretti’s worth would skyrocket instantly. According to Forbes, the value of an F1 team is estimated to be approximately one billion dollars, and that’s considered conservative.
It is highly likely that the new Concorde Agreement, which will be implemented in 2026, will substantially increase the entry fee. This implies that Andretti would need to contribute its fair share in a more balanced manner, similar to how the existing teams have done over the years.
While F1 maintains its distance from Andretti, needing to criticize Andretti’s efforts to justify excluding the team at the moment, the team is making progress. Andretti’s embrace of the phrase “our work continues at pace” has transformed from a mere marketing slogan into a tangible reality.
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Setting up a UK base with a facility at Silverstone, the team has begun the recruitment process for 60 high-level jobs to go alongside its existing workforce assigned from GM and its US effort, with Mario Andretti recently telling PlanetF1.com the intent is still entry for 2026.
However, it is the recruitment of Symonds that truly highlights Andretti’s determination to reach this goal. Convincing the individual responsible for evaluating F1 entries to join their organization proves Andretti’s credibility.
Since 2017, Symonds has led F1’s technical department as the chief technical officer, significantly contributing to the creation of the current regulations.
His contract with F1 was due to expire later this year but, due to him leaving early, he will now serve a six-month gardening period before joining Andretti – he will work as the team’s Executive Engineering Consultant under technical director Nick Chester (formerly of Benetton and Lotus).
Symonds is one of the few technical staff members who possess a deep understanding of Andretti’s capabilities. By actively choosing to join the team after previously being involved in its rejection, it is evident that Symonds has confidence in the American squad and does not consider them to be an unreliable or temporary operation.
This is not just a simple change of profession, it’s a complete abandonment – Symonds has transitioned from being a nightclub bouncer to becoming one of the partygoers outside, desperately attempting to gain entry.
During his extensive career, Symonds, who has closely collaborated with World Champions Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, played a significant role in securing four Drivers’ World Championships. In the past, he has voiced his opinion on the possibility of having more than 20 cars competing in F1.
At the 2023 Autosport International Show, he mentioned that as long as the quality is ensured, there is no harm in increasing the number of cars.
“The sport has a remarkable lineage of success.”
If there were any doubts about Andretti’s legitimacy as an entry, Symonds changing his stance should promptly eliminate them. Additionally, F1’s CTO voicing support for Andretti increases the pressure on F1 to reconsider its severe rejection.
In a recent interview with PlanetF1.com, Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 World Champion, couldn’t help but smile as he discussed the team’s remarkable progress happening behind closed doors.
Andretti, although hesitant to provide details on the progress of discussions with FOM, suggested that there are potential additions to the team who are quite intriguing. This implies that there are more individuals to be anticipated besides Symonds.
In an interview with PlanetF1.com, he expressed our commitment to the project by emphasizing our dedication to working swiftly in every possible aspect. We aim to showcase our seriousness by taking action rather than just engaging in empty talk.
“We currently have a considerable number of team members already assembled here, including a group of intriguing individuals eagerly awaiting the official go-ahead from Formula 1.”
Our aim is to demonstrate that the current state of affairs is perfectly aligned with expectations. The involvement of General Motors in this endeavor holds significant importance as we bring on board a manufacturer that has never before ventured into the realm of F1.
I believe that the high exposure of F1 in the United States should work in favor of having a complete US team involved. I remain positive, without a doubt.
With one of its key members defecting to the opposing team, how much longer can F1 truly resist?
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