Mario Andretti has revealed “news and changes” are to come from the Andretti-Cadillac Formula 1 bid after his son Michael stepped back from running the entry.
Michael Andretti had been CEO of the Andretti Global operation until October when it was revealed he was stepping away into an advisory role.
Dan Towriss has since taken over day-to-day decision-making at Andretti Global with its prospective F1 bid up in the air.
Andretti’s eponymous bid was accepted by the FIA, but rejected by Formula One Management, a decision that has since triggered a probe from the US Department of Justice.
Despite this Andretti, with backing from General Motors’ Cadillac brand, has pressed ahead with developing a car for the 2026 F1 season, opening a site at Silverstone and hiring 100s of personnel including former F1 Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds.
Moreover, reports indicated recently that Cadillac was looking to acquire Renault’s power unit IP with the French marque shelving its 2026 engine plans.
With Michael out of the decision-making process, will Andretti continue putting its foot on the F1 gas?
“This is an issue that involves my son Michael and his company, not me,” Mario told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“What I can say is that there will be news and changes, and that my full support goes to my son for all the decisions and choices he has made during this period and will make in the future to manage the situation as best he can.”
US interest in F1 is ‘extraordinary,’ says Andretti
Andretti is looking to capitalise on F1’s growing presence in the United States.
The US market has grown its interest in F1 ever since Liberty Media acquired the series in ahead of the 2017 campaign.
The advent of Netflix’s Drive to Survive and three US-based Grands Prix in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas have contributed to F1’s boom in the United States.
This year’s Miami GP attracted a record US television audience for an F1 race with an average 3.1 million viewers.
“It is something extraordinary,” Mario said.
“In all my years in the United States I have never perceived such a strong interest in Formula 1, not even in the 1960s when it was followed by Americans anyway.
“There were decades when interest was almost absent, and then suddenly, after the boom of the Netflix series dedicated to the category, an unthinkable love for the sport by Americans broke out.”
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