Column | Is Andretti joining F1 beneficial for anyone?

Andretti Autosport has accelerated its attempt to join F1, with documents sent to the FIA and F1 management to begin tendering their application for entry into F1. While it would herald the arrival of a gilded motorsport name onto the grid, will it be beneficial to the sport and is it generally even possible?

The benefits

Andretti Autosport is present in multiple fields throughout the motorsport world. The brand is represented in Indycar, Indy Lights, Formula E, IMSA, Supercars and Extreme E. With this the team has benefitted from constructing a giant: a recognisable brand with an almost omnipresent existence in the motorsport world. From this as well, Andretti has been able to cultivate and retain talent. By fostering such talent, if Andretti Autosport elected to enter F1, they have a wide base of current employees, as well as a brand pull for potential new candidates.

Being yet another American team in F1 is something that Andretti can definitely benefit from. Haas F1 team has struggled to create a stable brand image, suffering incessant scandals and issues in recent times. With a newer US team, sponsors may be more enticed by the prospect of supporting a national representative. The prospective entrant could also benefit from scooping talent from the Indycar championship, with many eager to make the jump with the relationship established between the two motorsports.

The costs

Andretti faces massive fees to enter F1, with F1’s management and the FIA wanting to truly stomp out farcical and fraudulent minnow teams for piling up in the backfield. These massive costs have been deterrents to multiple manufacturers, but help ensure that teams must be serious about their ambitions e.g. being timely with their statements and intentions, putting effort into bringing in adequate upgrades and drivers, as well as contributing to the sport as a whole. Extensive time delays are bound to happen as well, with validity checks and paperwork required. The FIA will comb through each and every single document and statement, to best ensure that a genuine team with a fighting ambition is entering the fold.

Andretti must also be aware that they will enter on the back foot. As (potentially) the newest team on the grid, all of their future competitors would have had a head start on understanding the new car’s concept and adjusting to the budget caps in place. Like a rookie driver, the Andretti racing team will need to make efforts to learn as efficiently as possible and apply themselves quickly, so as to get themselves up to speed.

So what happens now?

If the Andretti racing team's request is successful, they’ll undoubtedly have to stump up some cash. Success won’t come easy and it will be hard work to achieve their aims. For the sports as a whole, an 11th team is beneficial. It sparks greater competition, employment, brand and national interest, as well as bringing two more drivers onto the grid to compete on the track. The sports as a whole will certainly be better off. Now, however, a waiting game for their approval ensues.