Mario Andretti asserts 'Andretti spirit' is alive in Cadillac F1 despite son Michael's exit

Mario Andretti gave a strong verdict on how the Cadillac F1 outfit carries on the Andretti spirit, which was lit up by Michael Andretti back in 2022. The 85-year-old plays a key role in the soon-to-be F1 team as he is a part of the board of directors of the team, and he shared major revelations on how the team is still, in essence, part of Andretti Autosport's earlier efforts.

Andretti Autosport's founder set out on a mission to get a second American team on the F1 grid. His efforts soon appeared to be materializing as the governing body of the sport, FIA, gave them the initial approval.

This left the ball in Formula One Management's court, where Andretti was unable to break the ice, causing FOM to reject Michael Andretti's bid. Despite this, he continued with his F1 efforts and even built a preliminary base in the United Kingdom for the team's future F1 base.

Subsequently, General Motors made an entry, and with Michael Andretti stepping down, FOM agreed to get the team onboard the F1 grid in 2026. This led to all the Andretti F1 bases being converted into Cadillac ones, and Andretti remained in the alliance under the TWG branding.

When asked about how Andretti Autosport is involved in the whole Cadillac F1 team entry, Mario Andretti said (via Formula Reports on YouTube):

"Well actually, everything that was in place before Michael [Andretti] stepped aside is still in place, if you will. But there was a a choice to be made on his side, but the spirit of us will always be there obviously. And I'm going to be part of it, so to some degree we [are] all going to be very proud, hopefully of this project." (4:12 onwards)

The F1 and IndyCar champion will oversee the driver decisions made in the Cadillac F1 team as he is a part of the board of directors.

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Mario Andretti does not envision taking on greater responsibility at the GM/Cadillac outfit

Mario Andretti - Source: Getty

While Mario Andretti is happy with his involvement within the F1 realm, he does not envision a broader role. The 85-year-old said that he is not keen on any greater management roles going further (as quoted by RacingNews365):

"To some extent, the project is also my baby. But I'm not looking for a permanent position or a job that ties me down every day. I never wanted to be a team owner. I am a racing driver. There were many offers after my career to join a team and I always said no. I just want to have a home base in the paddock where I can stay."

The Cadillac F1 team will make its debut on the F1 grid in 2026 with the onset of new engine and chassis regulations.