The “buy a team” option is off the table.
Michael Andretti is open to buying an existing Formula 1 (F1) team to join the grid but says the current teams are unwilling to sell.
Andretti responded after Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team principal Toto Wolff said that prospective new entrants to F1 should “buy a team” instead of trying to get an 11th team on the grid.
Andretti clarified that buying a team is not plausible since none of the current F1 teams are interested in selling. A report published by Racer reveals that Andretti approached several teams and received the same response. “We’ve tried – nobody’s interested, nobody’s selling,” Andretti said. “You go there, and they’re not even interested in talking. So yeah, I’ve been there, done that. [It's} not happening.”
CarBuzz Stefan Clift/Behance Andretti
Andretti added that not even a single F1 team is interested in discussing this option, which led him to believe that buying an existing F1 team is off the table.
This is not the first time that Andretti's efforts have come to a dead end. Andretti Autosport has faced an uphill battle since announcing its intentions in early 2022. Mario Andretti later explained all the snubbing behind the scenes, despite the backing of a global brand like Cadillac.
There are many reasons why Andretti-Cadillac has yet to be accepted into the F1 club. As CarBuzz has said before, the number one reason is greed. Despite complaints that an 11th team would be a safety hazard during qualifying, it all comes down to the money. (And possibly European teams being scared of a Ford V Ferrari repeat.) Either way, F1 needs to sort this mess out because it's on the verge of alienating many American viewers.
Stefan Clift/Behance Stefan Clift/Behance Stefan Clift/Behance
In an interview with Forbes, Andretti said that money is the reason why he is getting snubbed to join F1. “It's all about money. First, they think they will get one-tenth of their prize money diluted, but they also get very greedy.”
He added that existing F1 teams might think that the Andretti team will “take all the American sponsors” since Andretti Autosport is based in the US and has teams in the IndyCar Series, among others. This is complete rubbish, however. There are already loads of American sponsors on the grid, and sponsors care more about eyeballs than patriotism.
We thought it would get easier for the Andrettis with Cadillac's backing, as one of the main reasons behind the 2026 regulation change was to get more automotive manufacturers on the grid. Everyone wins. Fans get more racing action, and manufacturers can punt their latest products, like the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.
Audi and Ford jumped at the opportunity, both finding a way in via an existing team, but Andretti-Cadillac is hellbent on starting a new team, and we're here for it.
Cadillac Cadillac Cadillac
Keyword: Michael Andretti Tried Buying Existing F1 Teams, But There Aren't Any For Sale