Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Martin Brundle urges F1 to ‘lose the emotion’ to make a ‘rational decision’ over Andretti-Cadillac bid

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Aditya Pandya | Last updated 12/29/23

Andretti-Cadillac is looking to enter Formula 1 as the 11th team on the grid. The considerable backlash surrounding the team’s entry into the sport might hinder their plans. Now, F1 Presenter Martin Brundle has raised questions over the entry of the American constructor in Formula 1.

The British presenter reckoned that the Andretti name has a rich racing legacy. However, Brundle pointed out that Michael Andretti‘s squad had failed to dominate in any racing category be it IndyCar or Formula E. Hence, Just by the name Andretti, one cannot assume the success of the team in Formula 1 and its competitiveness just from the name as commented by Brundle.

Andretti is a great name, but on the other side of the coin they’ve never really built their own car, they haven’t really dominated IndyCar in recent years or any of the other categories. So it’s not given that just because it’s called Andretti, it’ll be competitive. Brundle told Sky Sports F1.

In addition to this, Brundle raised questions about Andretti-Cadillac’s potential contribution to the sport or its competitiveness. Hence, F1 needed to lose the emotions of the name of the team and make a rational decision when thinking about accepting another team on the grid to challenge the previous teams.

So I get it all. I think you have to look at it and say it’s Team A from America: can they put together a credible competition on the grid? And what do they bring to F1? I think you have to lose the emotion of the Andretti name and take a rational decision, but I would like to see more cars on the grid.

Why is Andretti-Cadillac being opposed by everyone on the grid?

The all-American team has the backing of General Motors in the form of the Cadillac brand. Additionally, General Motors reportedly received a request to abandon Andretti and join the grid by acquiring another team on the grid. However, the carmaker assured that the entry for the team would only be alongside Andretti Global.

The 11th team on the grid would divide the prize pot into 11 as compared to the current ten-team set-up. Andretti-Cadillac’s arrival raised multiple questions about the prize distribution. The existing F1 teams seem to be more interested in keeping their lucrative prize share rather than having another rival on the grid.

However, the Andretti-Cadillac bid seems promising. Everything lies in the hands of the FOM to further seal the entry of the team in the sport. Meanwhile, Andretti continues his battles to get an acceptance into the grid by the team members and the principles of the subsequent teams. It remains to be seen if Michael Andretti’s squad gets to race at the pinnacle of motorsport in the coming years.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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