Twelve members of US Congress penned a letter to Formula 1’s parent company, Liberty Media, demanding answers about Andretti Global’s rejected bid to join the grid.
The bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Rep. John James, claimed the mass media conglomerate was engaging in ‘cartel-like behavior’ by preventing the Indiana-based team from entering the sport.
‘[We have] concerns with the apparent anti-competitive actions that could prevent two American companies, Andretti Global and General Motors (GM), from producing and competing in Formula 1,’ the letter read.
They also noted that the decision to bar Andretti, along with its partners GM and Cadillac, could ‘violate American anti-trust laws.’
F1’s governing body, the FIA, accepted Andretti’s entry last year, agreeing that they had met the necessary criteria.
12 members of congress are demanding answers about Andretti Global’s rejected F1 bid
Former F1 world champion Mario Andretti said his team is ready to join the grid as of 2025
However, the sport’s commercial arm, Formula One Management, denied the team’s bid after discussing the matter with the 10 teams currently on the grid, claiming it would not be competitive by 2025 or 2026.
In a press conference held outside the US Capitol Wednesday, former F1 world champion, Mario Andretti said his team has ‘all the passion and resolve necessary’ to join the grid.
‘We’re ready with everything that’s needed. Give us a green light and let us do our thing,’ the 84-year-old motorsport legend said.
‘Our team, Andretti Global, is part of every major racing discipline in the world. Formula 1 is the one that’s left. And we want to be part of that.’
James, who also appeared at the press conference, suggested Liberty Media could be ‘kicking the can down the road’ as a ‘cash grab’ to extract more money from Andretti should their bid be accepted in 2028, when F1 said it would reconsider the bid.
Rep. John James of Michigan claimed Liberty Media was engaging in ‘cartel-like behavior’
Formula One Management denied Andretti’s bid after discussing it with the teams on the grid
‘Give us a green light and let us do our thing,’ the motorsport legend said in a press conference
‘The commitment has been shown by Andretti-Cadillac, I think, to the tune of millions of dollars a month in preparing for the standards of complying with everything,’ the Michigan representative said.
‘We hope that we can resolve this to do business together for our mutual benefit. But if not, we will have our questions answered,’ he went on.
‘Because we have an obligation to protect the American consumer, to protect American companies, and that is our first allegiance. And those who are seeking to take advantage will be held accountable.’
F1 will return to the US this weekend for the Miami Grand Prix, held at Hard Rock Stadium.
