Andretti Global F1 team

Not sure that this is a great move by Andretti in terms of any goodwill with the other teams but I do see it as a potentially good move against FOM. Liberty does not need to be in a bad position with a group in the US Congress. Liberty has business interests far beyond FOM/F1 where we may need a good standing with Congress.

I see this as an end around action where Liberty wonders if appeasing the F1 teams is more important than heeding what may only be some saber rattling from DC. Wrong answer by Liberty and maybe the saber rattling becomes a congressional investigation that brings up too many embarrassing items.

 

I suspect Andretti has as many friends in DC as they do in the F1 paddock. It was just 12 congressmen who signed the letter.
I'd hope the US Gov't has more important things to tend to......

 

FIFY

 

Perhaps a B2 bombing run during FP1 would get their attention.

 

Bringing politics into sports is a bad move, IMO.

 

Absolutely agree. It is desperate and uncalled. They should stayed focus, work in the background and be prepared to buy Alpine when it comes,
maybe next year.

 

Follow the money on this one. Hardball was unfortunately required. Congress even mentioning possible violation of anti trust and anti monopoly laws signals they are within their right to force a US based team onto the grid or sanction and tax the pants off of foreign teams coming to compete in the US. Formula 1 makes several truckloads of cash on the US races, not something they are about to let go of as they desperately need cash cow races to pay for the legacy tracks where they make nothing or even lose money.

Teams are whining about splitting the pie to another team, but the writing is now on the wall that it will be taken from them whether they like it or not. Taxes/sanctions/or 11th team, take your pic cause you're getting hit, and I guarantee the taxes/sanctions path would be crafted in such a way that F1 teams and likely the manufacturers completely lose their shirts and they'll beg for an 11th team instead. What they're purposely ignoring is Andretti's involvement makes the pie larger anyway, everyone's slice will likely be about the same regardless, not to mention that none of these car manufacturers would even exist if it weren't for their largest global market, the US.

 

Ohhhhh they sure can. If they feel a violation of antitrust and competition laws have been violated they will tax and sanction the pants off of those manufacturers trying to compete and sell ANYTHING in the US. None of those companies exist without the US market. They'll be begging for Andretti's team.

 

Imagine, for a moment, Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston being unable to sell road cars in the US due to some antitrust regulation or something slipped into a spending bill. Sure, it will probably get knocked down in court 5-7 years down the road. But what of the damage done?

Congress can absolutely control commerce, which includes auto racing and auto sales in the USA.

 

exactamundo. Toto will be sending the German welcome wagon(s) filled with metric tons of ale and beer wenches

 

I continue to believe that it is Liberty Media that should be concerned about potential ramifications more than FOM. Liberty is a US corporation that is publicly traded. Liberty can dictate to their FOM division what is in their collective interest. Malone and Maffie don't need the scrutiny of a public hearing nor would FOM ever want to be subject to a full legal discovery process of contracts, communications, and payments. FOM probably needs the cloak of darkness from public release for lots of their dealings.

By the way, Andretti turning to the politicians saves them the cost of a lawsuit against FOM.

Prediction: FOM miraculously comes up with an acceptable pathway for Andretti to join F1 for 2026. Andretti and FOM agree to some conditions that neither is especially fond of so no one can claim a total win.

 

And Formula 1 dies a little more...... /\/\/\

 

Lawsuit over what. Not getting selected? That happens daily in the world. Discovery and communications. One's where Andretti never read the email. This is absurd. Sorry but there is no smoking gun. The series said no and 2028 might work. Whats the crime? One needs to prove something to have a case. Public hearing lol? Again on what? Other teams were not selected. Make it class action now? 12 members signed a letter. They didnt establish a court date. No one has been wronged legally. Prove it. Then there might be something to go on. There is no case at all or Andretti would have brought suit by now.

 

US congress intervening isn’t really about politics. It’s about anti-trust laws that were put in place to allow for competition. Liberty is a publicly traded company on the American stock exchange. Blocking Andretti arguably is anti-consumer and anti-competition.

 

Exactly. Congress can hang their hat on that and wreck every F1 teams and manufacturers day if they want to. This is a shot across the bow. They LOVE United States' money but won't let a US team participate? Think again

 

Yes provide proof any of that happend. How was competition stifled. With that logic, a sport not based in the US but world-wide where was the harm, that is established lol. Specify it. They said no and gave a future date. Sorry but this is just bad optics for a team that doesnt like the word no and has ego issues. Sorry but do you think now any team wants Andretti lol. Whiny whiny and incessant at that. Basically from the get go. Use the power of the US Federal Gov to force a grid slot based on what legal harm. Specify................

 

Any club is allowed to limit its size and select its membership, right ?
What has "anti-trust law" to do with that ? I cannot see any being broken here.
Andretti missed the boat entirely when he refused the terms of the Rausing family to buy 70% of Sauber.
That would have given him a major foothold in F1, and saved a lot of aggro, IMO.
Instead AUDI did, and guess what, they are now in business !!!

 

So now it's KAREN ANDRETTI !!

 

It is now. This is about Andretti not liking the answer they were given. NOTHING ELSE. There is zero proof of anything remotely legal from what has been published. Avoidable this all is. The optics are so bad. Who wants to see them on the grid now. Whining to Mama. Ridiculous. Muricans usually hate governmental interference. So US Congres is now the default owner and manager of F1/FOM. ABSURD>

 

Cadillac/Andretti not being allowed to compete because the other teams are behaving as a trust isn't stifling competition?

Actually, by definition, the sport IS now based in the United States, for better, and for worse... As I said, Liberty is publicly traded on the stock exchange and has to follow regulations.

 

The official response from F1 of the Congressional letter is due today. I'm sure somebody will post it in the media.

 

The letter can be ignored, can't it?

 

I suppose, but at the risk of having to appear before Congress later on.

 

Even IndyCar doesnt want new teams LOL

Rahal: IndyCar needs to focus on parts shortage, not new teams
Graham Rahal believes a bigger focus should be put towards fixing the parts shortage issues plaguing the IndyCar paddock before having new teams join the series.

 

Stop racing on Mickey Mouse street circuits for starters?