The prospective Andretti Formula 1 team says it is “not aware” of any invitation from Formula One Management to discuss their bid to join the championship.
The American team, in partnership with GM brand Cadillac, were the only successful applicant from a process opened by the FIA last year to find a potential 11th team to join the F1 grid.However, Andretti still required approval from FOM, the sport’s commercial rights holders, in order to be accepted to receive a share of television revenue and prize money for their participation in the championship.
Earlier this week, FOM announced it had rejected Andretti’s bid to join the championship in either 2025 or 2026.
Among the reasons for the rejection were concerns over the ability of a brand new team to build two vastly different cars – first to join the championship in 2025, then for the major technical regulations changes the following season in 2026. FOM also claimed they had extended an invitation to a face-to-face meeting with team management, but had received no response.
In a statement from the team to RaceFans, Andretti representatives denied knowledge of any invitation to meet with FOM to discuss their entry into the championship prior to their rejection of their application.
“We were not aware that the offer of a meeting had been extended and would not decline a meeting with Formula One Management,” the team said.
“An in-person meeting to discuss commercial matters would be and remains of paramount importance to Andretti Cadillac. We welcome the opportunity to meet with Formula One Management and have written to them confirming our interest.”
Andretti also explained that their intention to enter the championship in 2025 was true when they submitted their application last year, but had shifted their focus to 2026 due to the protracted application process.
“When Andretti Cadillac entered the FIA expression of interest process almost a year ago, the preferred first year of participation was indicated as 2025,” the team explained.
“The FIA approved our application, with no specific limitation on whether the entry was for 2025 or 2026. Andretti Cadillac has been operating with 2026 as the year of entry for many months now. The technicality of 2025 still being part of the application is a result of the length of this process.”
Andretti state that their efforts to prepare for a potential entry into the championship “continues at pace”, despite their rejection by FOM.
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BasCB (@bascb)
3rd February 2024, 9:48
Interesting. How can one “not be aware” of an invitation to come and talk if there was an official invitation sent?
BasCB (@bascb)
3rd February 2024, 10:01
Hm, that FOM would seriously WANT to contact them, had a “no name” staffer send 1 (ONE) email and then when they did not get any reaction, just went with “right, no interest then, see, they aren’t serious” instead of maybe having management ask “hey, did you check back with them whether they received the invitation, have you tried to gauge when they can get to our offices” shows how interested FOM were in to sit down and talk things through.
And yeah, not a great picture of how much on the ball the Andretti guys were too. Maybe they should have done more checking to see whether any mails from Liberty, FOM or whomever ended up in spam, it’s pretty normal for that to happen at times. But normally a sender also follows up when they get no answer at all.
Martin (@f1hornet)
3rd February 2024, 12:30
Also, if a 2025 entry was so problematic, why couldn’t they just say we want you to enter in 2026 instead rather than rejecting outright?
It’s been clear from the start that they don’t want the additional competition.
T
3rd February 2024, 12:59
the no name staffer is not a smoking gun
whether it came from the ceo or a staffer or the janitor it would come from the exact same domain: *@f1.com
Email reputation is largely domain based and domains are organization based. The spam argument is fishy as someone who works in tech
Also why do we expect the ceo to send the meeting? During the fia phase, MBS made it clear it was a team he put together to look into applicants. Couldn’t Stefano have done likewise?
It is not the responsibility of FOM to ensure Andretti is replying to correspondences especially when they have already done the work of finding who they need to reach out to. Everyone in this comment section has magically forgotten FOM reached out first to present documents for Andretti to fill out. Andretti filled it it out and sent it back. A correspondence channel has already been established.
It’s right there in the report, FOM sent a questionnaire – safe to assume via email not text or snail mail- andretti answered it and then FOM wrote back to request an in person meeting – safe to assume using the exact same correspondence channel. Tell me how exactly FOM looks “bad” here for getting no reply? Did you expect them to coddle Andretti into a reply? Pretty please come see us?
I’m not buying this Andretti spin, THEY miss an email THEY acknowledge was sent and have also now magically decided actually they want to join f1 in 2026 when every single article, publication and official words from their camp has been 2025 as a french Alpine junior team that was still somehow “All American”. This is the same camp that boldfaced claimed a 2026 engine was possible when GM was still non committal as a title sponsor, the exact same camp whose “state of the art” HQ that would rival Ferrari still only exists as a render. The same camp that suddenly felt very open and invited a journalist to publish a report on their progress days before their rejection was made public. The same camp that lost a driver and went into arbitration because they didn’t respond to a contract said driver sent over to sign. THE EXACT SAME team that had been hounding anyone even remotely tied to FOM doesn’t get a follow up after initial correspondence and they do nothing? Really? They don’t talk to MBS to find out more, they don’t reply back to check in, just radio silence. This is a job interview for them, aren’t interviewees supposed to follow up?
I’m not calling FOM spotless because they absolutely have an incentive to say no but I am equally not as quick to lay blame at their feet. The Andrettis aren’t stupid they know what they’re doing. Its no coincidence every press release ends with ‘we continue at pace’
BasCB (@bascb)
4th February 2024, 13:22
That is really BS there.
The no name staffer is not the issue, the no follow up thing IS. And no, it really is not “up to Adretti” to reach out, since FOM was the one deciding on an application. The part about “finding who they need to reach out to” is even bigger BS, have you ever seen any application for something or quotation? There is certainly going to be a contact adress on that. But we don’t even know whether FOM sent it do “info@andretti.com” or whatever really, that might have been one of the issues.
Since we don’t know what exactly made the mail get flagged and moved to the spam folder we really cannot easily say where the exact issue is there.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th February 2024, 13:23
As the article already mentions AFTER getting the denial of their application Andretti had a look and found that yeah, there was an email, they just did not notice it.
T
4th February 2024, 15:30
Just see my comments below, and SteveP’s further explanation. I’m tired of repeating myself.
You still disagree, great.
You agree, good.
T
3rd February 2024, 13:15
the no name staffer is not a smoking gun
whether it came from the ceo or a staffer or the janitor it would come from the exact same base domain
Email reputation is largely domain based and domains are organization based. The spam reason given to Fryer by Andretti sounds very plausible at first glance and falls apart at a second one
Also why do we expect the ceo to send the meeting? MBS made it clear it was a team he put together to look into applicants. Couldn’t Stefano have done likewise?
It is not the responsibility of FOM to ensure Andretti is replying to correspondences especially when they have already done the legwork of finding who they need to reach out to. Everyone in this comment section has either magically forgotten or didn’t read the report that states FOM reached out first to present documents for Andretti to fill out. Andretti filled it it out and sent it back.
A correspondence channel has already been established.
It’s right there in the report, FOM sent a questionnaire – safe to assume via email not text or snail mail- andretti answered it and then FOM wrote back to request an in person meeting – safe to assume using the exact same correspondence channel. Tell me how exactly FOM looks “bad” here for getting no reply? Did you expect them to coddle Andretti into a reply? Pretty please come see us xoxo?
I’m not buying this Andretti spin, THEY miss an email THEY acknowledge was sent and have also now magically decided actually they want to join f1 in 2026 when every single article, publication and official words from their camp has been 2025 as a French Alpine junior team that was still somehow “All American”. This is the same camp that boldfaced claimed a 2026 engine was possible when GM was still non committal. The exact same camp whose “state of the art” HQ that would rival Ferrari still only exists as a render. The same camp that suddenly felt very open and invited a journalist to publish a report on their progress days before their rejection was made public. The same camp that lost a driver and went into arbitration because they didn’t respond to a contract said driver sent over to sign. THE EXACT SAME team that had been hounding anyone even remotely tied to FOM doesn’t get a follow up after initial correspondence and we’re supposed to believe they did nothing? Really? They don’t talk to MBS to find out more, they don’t reply back to check in, just radio silence. Doesn’t one of the Andrettis have Stefano’s phone number? This is a job interview for them, aren’t interviewees supposed to follow up?
I’m not calling FOM spotless because they absolutely have an incentive to say no but I am equally not as quick to lay blame at their feet. The Andrettis aren’t stupid they know what they’re doing. Its no coincidence every press release ends with ‘we continue at pace’
Radoye
3rd February 2024, 20:53
Such emails don’t necessarily come from a person’s email account (as in “Joe Blow” or “Jane Smith” or some such). Often there is a corporate account used to send important notifications. Or it is indeed a high ranking “known name” person who sends it.
And of course, follow-up phone calls etc.
If it is even sent by email and not by courier delivered physical message, in case it is really important. And this kind of was important.
T
3rd February 2024, 21:53
…that’s my point, it doesn’t matter who it came from – janitor, staffer, ceo, coo, intern, etc. it will come from a corporate email account. “know names” don’t mean anything as it comes from the corporate account. the domain of the email carries the credibility here.
again, i disagree that it is FOM’s responsibility to ensure Andretti replies to their emails especially when
1. FOM has done the legwork to establish a channel of correspondence – the initial contact for the questionnaire
and 2. Andretti has confirmed the channel by replying
this isn’t a party, FOM didn’t send an RSVP, they don’t need a headcount for catering. it was an extension to the next phase of the process. Andretti didn’t answer.
for me personally, points 1 and 2 is what makes Andretti’s spam reason highly suspicious. Andretti know they simply cannot claim they didn’t get it because that’s easily disproved with logs and you know, FOM’s sent mail so the next best thing is to use a reason no one else has the power to refute – it ended up in spam somehow. BOOM, no further questions.
I think it’s fishy because I work with email and I highly doubt FOM’s dkim is the problem here and plus like I already mentioned, a prior correspondence had already taken place. I also understand that FOM has no incentive to try but that doesn’t change the fact it is not FOM responsibility to try, this is a job interview, the interviewer doesn’t go out their way to confirm the schedule for the interview, the interviewee does. that’s how the dynamic works. You don’t get mad at your prospective company that they didn’t call you after emailing you an interview appointment YOU missed.
It’s 2024, email is more than sufficient and is in fact widely recognized across this planet as a medium of official communication. It’s even legally binding – subpoenas, contracts, etc.
it annoys me how everyone is so quick to blame FOM when Andretti’s story has such massive holes:
How are they working on a 2026 car when teams aren’t even allow to work on them until 2025?
The 2026 regs haven’t been finalized so what exactly are they working on? theories about active aero?
How are we ignoring the litany of evidence from this camp expressly stating 2025 to be their year of entry?
Andretti has been hounding FOM for over a year now and after initial official correspondence they think FOM goes silent and we’re supposed to believe the people who’ve been working “at pace” couldn’t be bothered to check in on the documents they submitted?
Seriously, I’m supposed to blindly hand them the benefit of this doubt so I can freely blame FOM because Andretti didn’t respond to an email? How does that make sense? Toddlers could come up with better lies.
if this was any other entrant we’d be laughing at this shoddy attempt of a cover up but because we don’t like FOM right now, we can’t be bothered to apply a modicum of skepticism.
SteveP
4th February 2024, 8:06
As “T” mentions the domain itself is the trust marker.
T specifically references DKIM, but that may not mean an awful lot to the non-IT techs:
Briefly, mail has a security element that requires that the mail comes from a known MX; the SPF in the DNS record specifies what domain/IP range can come from and whether anything that does not exactly match the requirements is to be accepted with a warning or be rejected by other MX instances on the net. DKIM is the digital signature element of the system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sender_Policy_Framework
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DomainKeys_Identified_Mail
So, as others have suggested, the Andretti “spam bin” excuse is on a par with “the dog ate my homework”
S
4th February 2024, 8:39
So, @SteveP – are you suggesting that Andretti simply ghosted FOM?
Why would they do that? What is there to gain? It certainly wouldn’t get them any closer to being granted access to F1’s commercial payments, would it…
Which domain did FOM’s (alleged) email come from, anyway…? Clearly not their own, or else it would have been trusted as legitimate and wouldn’t have ended up in spam.
Timmy
4th February 2024, 12:19
Andretti must be on the grid regardless of the invite, no inite, maybe invite. FOM, FIA needs to wake up, get their head out of their ass and give Andretti everything they need.
Dex
3rd February 2024, 14:12
What does an “official invitation” mean? Is that some sort of notification that rings in recipient’s head, and then text appears before his eyes? Use imagination. If they wanted to fake it, they could. I don’t know if they did, but did they have a motive? Oh yes, they don’t hide it at all.
grat
3rd February 2024, 18:13
Obviously, they sent an email with the title of “Want to join Formula 1? Try this weird trick!!”
See, my problem is, I’m more likely to believe Andretti, who has been very public about their process to try to join F1, than I am for FOM, who by default, operates in secrecy and opacity.
Avro Anson (@avroanson)
3rd February 2024, 9:57
Buried deep in this article https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/03/racefans-round-up-03-02-6/ is a link to this: https://apnews.com/article/andretti-cadillac-f1-spam-folder-expansion-rejected-9083bf277f58f87e116d11d33db1ca05
Allegedly the invitation was in an email was sent by an FOM staffer and ended up in Andretti’s spam folder. This raises a whole string of further questions:
– Why was it sent by a staffer and not the CEO?
– Why didn’t FOM follow up when they got no reply?
– Why didn’t Andretti periodically check their spam folder to make sure nothing important had gone there? It happens to all of us.
BasCB (@bascb)
3rd February 2024, 10:02
Yeah, pretty fishy IMO. I would say it should be a good reason to have a sit down now and reevaluate stuff after talking things through.
anon
3rd February 2024, 10:35
@avroanson why does the invite have to come from the CEO personally though? I don’t recall any other team in the past receiving a direct invitation from the CEO of FOM to enter into contract talks.
Nick T.
3rd February 2024, 11:18
Doesn’t matter really, but this is evidence of FOM intentionally seeking a technicality to give as an excuse. Had FOM really wanted to get in touch with Andretti, we know it would have been absolutely no issue. Andretti has regularly demonstrated care in making sure all their i’s are dotted and t’s crossed in this application process because they’re aware FOM is seeking reasons to sabotage their effort by seizing on items that wouldn’t even be a second thought when dealing with a team FOM wanted in F1.
MichaelN
3rd February 2024, 11:20
This is the biggest non-calendar issue FOM has had to deal with in years. The CEO doesn’t need to do the e-mailing and scheduling himself, but he needs to at the very least be on top of the overall issue, and if nothing seems to be happening, ask questions within his own organisation what they heck they’re doing that it’s taking so long.
I’m sure most people have had their manager or boss or client get on their case for issues that don’t involve hundreds of millions of dollars.
S
3rd February 2024, 10:02
Honestly – how hard is it for someone at FOM to pick up the phone and call anyone at Andretti.
But to then use that lack of attempt at communication on their part as a justification for rejection….
I know exactly why FOM won’t just be honest and say they’d have rejected Andretti no matter what – but really, this silliness just further makes all of F1 seem so pathetic. It truly is just a game of politics.
I have no doubt there are some very puffed up chests at Liberty at the moment, full of confidence thinking they’ve beaten the FIA and told the world who really runs F1.
As I said the other day – nothing would thrill me more with this than to see Andretti rock up and race anyway. I want to see what Liberty would do about it – would we see Andretti on TV, or would they be blurred out or erased entirely using live AR, with all official media forbidden from reporting on them? With Cadillac written on the cars, would FOM be so keen to alienate a manufacturer that is willing to participate in upcoming seasons?
Just imagine if they had a miraculous podium finish….
lunaslide (@lunaslide)
3rd February 2024, 10:04
One email with no follow up? Are they seriously telling us no one at FOM has Michael Andretti’s number? Shenanigans.
Asd
3rd February 2024, 11:45
Yeah, FOM is pathetic for treating Andretti and everybody else like idiots.
At my job, when I need to contact a client about important matters, I send an E-mail to their relevant address with several people from their management stuff in cc. If I get no response, I’m obliged to follow up with a week. If the matter is time sensitive, I contact my higher-ups to contant their higher-ups by telephone. If contact is needed, contact is made.
ykiki (@ykiki)
3rd February 2024, 22:40
Indeed, this is the expectation at my company as well. Whether suppliers, customers, peer businesses, etc. If it’s important, not only are there many folks cc’d on an email (both my company and theirs), but if there’s no response, then phone calls are made.
Conversely, if we receive important correspondence from another party it’s common courtesy to respond with an email acknowledging receipt. There’s no way an email to Andretti should’ve been a “one and done” situation.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
4th February 2024, 0:08
Same thought as everyone else. It is a huge decision and there was just 1 email sent and no follow up, no phone call. Simply not how any business is done.
Jungle
3rd February 2024, 11:06
The invitation was sent by carrier pigeon….poor little bugger didn’t make it across the Atlantic.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
4th February 2024, 0:09
Ron Weasley’s owl.
Nick T.
3rd February 2024, 11:25
Pathetic. It’d be hurting their image much less had FOM simply said we don’t want any more teams right now rather than trying to foist all these insipid excuses, but that would be nearly equivalent to an admission of guilt if Andretti goes to the EU.
I’d like to hear an actual anti-trust legal expert familiar with the applicable laws would say about the specifics of what Andretti / FOM would need to prove.
Zann (@zann)
3rd February 2024, 11:32
Meeting. lol why do they have to have a meeting? Well they don’t of course it should all be numbers, so this is just a feeble smokescreen. They don’t think he adds value, end of really. Well he adds value by being a noisy wannabe, thanks so much Michael, it’s all status :)
Lewis to Ferrari adds value, like $7 billion to Ferrari apparently and zillions to FOM. Same as a new WDC in 2021, just sayin. It’s not an accident that Liberty are the highest earning sports owner
Jim (@jimgogo)
3rd February 2024, 11:40
HOW DARE YOU LIBERTY MEDIA!
HOW DARE YOU THINK YOU CAN BUY OUT THIS BUSINESS/SPORT
HOW DARE YOU THINK YOU CAN TURN IT INTO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
HOW DARE YOU TRY TO PULL THE WOOL OVER OUR EYES!!!
F U LIBERTY MEDIA. SCUMBAGS. BERNIE 4EVA.
David (@nvherman)
3rd February 2024, 19:07
Don’t be such a drama queen.
To be honest, I’m glad Andretti was turned down.
Too much obsession with the US, when F1 has managed perfectly well without it for decades.
SteveP
3rd February 2024, 12:14
More sensibly:
The last procurement I was involved in had several companies bidding.
All those companies were added to our whitelist for mail for the duration of the bid-select-followup sequence.
It’s important, you wouldn’t want any mail to get spam binned.
SteveP
3rd February 2024, 15:01
Yup.
Tommy Scragend
3rd February 2024, 15:13
Ironic from someone called Jim.
Jim (@jimgogo)
3rd February 2024, 15:42
IF only it was my really name now tommy boy!
Jim (@jimgogo)
3rd February 2024, 15:44
Easy to find a dunce like you.
Jim (@jimgogo)
3rd February 2024, 15:45
By god I hope Andretti take FOM to court because by God, the whole world are with them on this.
Jim (@jimgogo)
3rd February 2024, 15:46
Except you, who are clearly very, very scared about the matter and so you should be.
grat
3rd February 2024, 18:21
Says the mighty keyboard warrior named “Jim”.
Feel free to keep attacking FOM, although you should try not to sound like a 30 year old basement dwelling league of legends player while doing so.
And attacking other users of this community will merely get you banned, and totally forgotten within 72 hours.
David (@nvherman)
3rd February 2024, 19:11
Exactly. Especially as some of us (read, me) didn’t want Andretti to be accepted in the first place.
Too much pandering to the US going on in F1 already.
Alan Dove
3rd February 2024, 13:07
If F1 was doing an anniversary event with all the World Champions in attendance at Monaco Grand Prix, let’s say, I am pretty sure they’d move through hell or high water to ensure that they contact each driver and confirm whether they received an invite or not. They wouldn’t just arbitrarily send out one email and conclude, yeah that person doesn’t want to come.
If there’s any truth to the story about an email going into a spam folder, it demonstrates a surprisingly lack of professionality. Sure, Andretti should ensure that spam is checked, but the onus is on the message sender to ensure their message is received, or that all reasonable measures are taken.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd February 2024, 15:08
Especially since they’ll be well aware andretti are interested in joining and they wouldn’t suddenly change their mind to the point of not answering a mail.
Jim (@jimgogo)
3rd February 2024, 14:51
Thanks for the reminder Steeeeeeeeeeeeve
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd February 2024, 15:05
It’s not stuck, it’s intentional, and I understand the outrage here; if anything I don’t understand people defending fom.
David (@nvherman)
3rd February 2024, 19:09
@esploratore Some of us are quite happy Andretti was turned down.
Don’t want Michael Andretti anywhere near F1, he was rubbish as a driver.
Jim (@jimgogo)
3rd February 2024, 15:40
F1 ARE SELL OUTS.
notagrumpyfan
3rd February 2024, 16:26
A rant I can understand; online abuse not.
sam
3rd February 2024, 17:29
more fom amateur hour.
Pod
4th February 2024, 7:49
Michael Andretti invests tens of millions to prepare for, and in an application to enter formula one, but neglects to put the domain “@f1.com” on his Outlook safe senders list.
Okay, well, there’s incontrovertible evidence that Andretti Renault “sponsored by Cadillac,” would just be another Haas trundling around at the back and FOM are proven correct in their assessment.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
4th February 2024, 10:24
If Dallara can make a chassis for Haas (besides all the other open wheel format racing car chassis’s that they make) then there’s no reason they couldn’t make one for Andretti too. Of course, Dallara would need to make the Andretti chassis different from the Haas chassis, but I can’t imagine that being a problem for them.
This idea of refusing to let Andretti in because there’s a change in chassis regulations just sounds to me like nonsense. My understanding is usually every F1 team starts a season with a new chassis, so why is there supposed to be a problem when there’s some larger changes in the regulations than normal? Nearly every year involves changes in the rules. Is FOM going to tell Ferrari or Red Bull they can’t compete one year because the rules are going to change? I doubt it.
If Andretti has done his financial calculations correctly, and his business is so big I have to believe he has done his homework, and assuming he has got the financial backing, then it is the responsibility of the FIA and FOM to accommodate them within this racing series.