INDIANAPOLIS — Andretti Global passed the second step of gaining a future Formula One venture. The first step was the application process. The second was getting approval of FIA. That approval was granted on Monday.

Following the conclusion of a comprehensive application process for prospective teams seeking to participate at a competitive level in the FIA Formula One World Championship, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile has concluded that the application by Andretti Formula Racing LLC should progress to the next stage.

“The FIA was very clear in establishing stringent criteria for entry from the outset of the Expressions of Interest procedure,” said FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “Our objective, after rigorous due diligence during the application phase, was to only approve prospective entries which satisfied the set criteria and illustrated that they would add value to the sport.

“The FIA is obliged to approve applications that comply with the Expressions of Interests application requirements and we have adhered to that procedure in deciding that Andretti Formula Racing LLC’s application would proceed to the next stage of the application process. In taking that decision, the FIA is acting in accordance with EU directives on motor sport participation and development.  

“Andretti Formula Racing LLC was the only entity which fulfils the selection criteria that was set in all material respects. I congratulate Michael Andretti and his team on a thorough submission. I also want to thank all prospective teams for their interest and participation.

“The Expressions of Interest process builds on the positive acceptance of the FIA’s 2026 F1 Power Unit Regulations among existing OEMs which has also attracted further commitment from Audi, Honda and Ford and interest from Porsche and General Motors.

“I would like to thank all of the FIA team members involved in the Expressions of Interest process for their tireless efforts in ensuring a diligent assessment of all of the applications received.”

Interesting enough, the name wasn’t Andretti Global but rather “Andretti Formula Racing.” Is that going to be the name or is that the name on the paperwork when this was filed?

Still, the FIA admitted that Andretti Formula Racing LLC was the only candidate to meet the stringent criteria that was set by the FIA in all material respects from the four teams which lodged formal applications in Phase 2 of the process. The initial call for Expressions of Interest (Phase 1) attracted numerous enquiries which resulted in four progressing to Phase 2.

The FIA has officially informed all applicant teams of their findings after a thorough appraisal.

Following the call for Expressions Of Interest in February, the FIA has applied a robust process of due diligence during which the applicants were assessed on the sporting and technical ability, the ability of the team to raise and maintain sufficient funding to allow participation in the Championship at a competitive level and the team’s experience and human resources.

Selection criteria also included sustainability management in line with the FIA’s ambition of achieving the sport’s goals for net-zero by 2030. Any prospective F1 team was also required to illustrate how they intend to achieve a positive societal impact through its participation in the sport.

As part of the agreed process of the Expressions Of Interest protocol, the FIA findings on Andretti Formula Racing LLC’s submission will now be passed to Formula One Management (FOM) for commercial discussions.

While Andretti has done everything that they’ve been asked to do. Raised the money needed, found at OEM in Cadillac and has everything in place to become the 11th team on the F1 grid, they still need one more approval to do so.

It’s now in the hands of Liberty Media and the F1 teams. While the teams aren’t the decision makers, they do have a say and most feel like you can’t just buy your way into F1. They feel like they’ve exhausted a ton of money and resources already and built F1 to the way it is today and that it feels wrong for a team to just buy their way into joining them.

It’s why the goalposts keep moving for Andretti’s effort. Hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth at that. Whatever the financial aspect that these teams want Andretti to bring, they do so. They wanted an OEM. Andretti got it. Andretti has answered every call and road block. Will it be enough?

Andretti is building a global empire. They have teams in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy NXT, Formula E, IMSA, Extreme E, Super COPA and Super Cars. You can find an Andretti car on the grid in most major racing series’ around the world.

Hence the change of the name from Andretti Autosport to Andretti Global.

Gainbridge and Dan Towriss has been a massive supporter in this endeavor. In what was a meeting with a Pastor of his church between Zach Veach and Aaron Brockett, lead Pastor of Traders Point Christian Church on the northside of Indy, led to Towriss and Veach meeting. That led to a sponsorship deal uniting Towriss with Veach with AJ Foyt. then later Veach back into Andretti.

See, Veach was on his last day of his deadline to let AJ Foyt Racing know if he could find funding to run the 2017 Indy 500. He sought the advise of his Pastor. His Pastor gave him a name to talk to. An email from Veach to that name led to a phone call which led to where we are today.

“It was the last resort,” Veach said to me smiling on that cold winter day back in 2019 inside of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Media Center. “It was my Hail Mary. I was a day away from my deadline with Foyt and I called everybody in my contacts. I had a feeling that Aaron Brockett from Traders Point Christian Church up in Zionsville, I just had a feeling that I needed to call him. He’s been a big part of my life with some tough things that I had before. I asked if he thought that he had anybody that I could possibly talk to. He gave me Dan’s email and an email turned into a phone call and a phone call turned into a contract. Two in-a-half to three years later, here we are.”

Veach’s email on that Friday in 2017 went noticed. Towriss, promised Veach he’d work on something through that weekend. By Sunday, a deal was in place. By Monday, a contract signed.

Veach’s dream of being an Indy Car racer was coming true. He in fact made the 2017 Indy 500 with one of Towriss’ business on his car. Veach, started 32nd and finished 26th.

Now that Towriss saw how big the race was, he and Veach wanted more. A week after the ‘500 was completed in 2017, he had a deal in place with Andretti Autosport. Veach, was now going to be a full time IndyCar driver in 2018 with one of the premiere teams in the series.

Towriss, put Group 1001 on his No. 26 Honda and away Veach went.

By the end of the relationship, Towriss knew this was a new avenue to spread his hard working wealth in. He committed to 4 years but wanted a lifetime longer. Veach was out of his contract a few races early. Colton Herta shifted in. The relationship has grown to Towriss being a partner on the organization at Andretti and has helped funnel this team to new depths globally.

Andretti had the capital that it took to grow. Towriss was helping the INDYCAR side. He helped this F1 venture. He’s helped sponsor Spire in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as well as on the NASCAR Cup Series as well.

Could that deal be the next one? Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, Andretti is in the final phase of this F1 venture. If that goes through, then if this route to NASCAR works, Andretti Global will be literally just that – GLOBAL.