(Paris) The FIA announced on Monday that it had given the green light to Andretti Formula Racing to become the 11th Formula 1 team, after accepting its application for the third and final selection phase.
The Andretti team was the only one of the four candidates that had been admitted to the second stage of the selection process to reach the next stage, but its place on the grid remains subject to the conclusion of a commercial agreement with Liberty Media, holder of F1 rights.
“We note the FIA’s findings in relation to the first and second phases of their process and will now carry out our own assessment of the strength of this application,” F1 said in a statement.
The FIA, motorsport’s governing body, launched a process in January to allow potential new participants to join the championship from 2025 or 2026.
Most existing teams have opposed expansion, with the new year’s calendar expected to feature a record 24 Grands Prix.
The Andretti team’s candidacy is led by Michael Andretti, former F1 driver and son of Mario Andretti, F1 world champion in 1978.
Andretti Global revived its F1 bid earlier this year by announcing a partnership with General Motors to supply Cadillac engines to the proposed team.