Andretti responds to F1 inviting applications for new teams: "We've got a lot to lose"

Mario Andretti has said that Andretti has a lot to lose if F1 declines his team's application to join the sport.

In the March 2023 issue of Motorsport, Andretti delved deep into the team's struggles to join the F1 bandwagon. The American enterprise led by the former world champion has faced a disappointing response to their efforts to join the grid.

Teams like Red Bull, Mercedes and Haas have been vocal against having an 11th team on the grid. Talking about the current predicament, Andretti said that his team have done everything asked of them. He said:

“We’ve done everything that was asked of us and, so far, we’ve delivered. We are honest in our approach, and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to reach our goal; that’s what drives us. It’s what we love, and that’s not gonna change. All along there have been headwinds, but you have to have the resolve, the relentless pursuit of your goal, and there’s always the opportunity to succeed."

The American said that a lot of things that had happened were discouraging for him:

“A lot of things have been discouraging, but there’s encouragement. The support from the fans, the people who love the sport, has been so strong. I don’t dwell on the negatives. Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Sometimes, honestly, I ask myself, ‘Do we really need this?’ – and the answer is yes, we do, we actually do."

He added:

"Michael’s team has already invested heavily in this project, without any assurances, so they have a lot to lose if F1 decides they don’t want us, but they need to prepare so they don’t have to start from scratch.”

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FIA president understands importance of growth in F1 - Andretti boss

Mario Andretti did have words of praise for FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who he feels is one of the few people to have shown respect to Andretti. He said:

“The new FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, really understands the importance of growth. He respects us; he understands our resolve, and if we meet the prerequisite requirements, we will be welcome. We’re not asking for any favours. We’re bringing something to the party”.

FIA launching an application of interest from prospective teams is certainly a jolt to the chances of Andretti getting a slot on the grid. However, the world of F1 is quite dynamic, so it's difficult for anyone to predict what's going to happen in the future.