F1 News: Insider Delivers Promising News For Andretti - 'Likely a Team May Be for Sale'

Talks about a possible sale of an existing F1 team emerge, following advice to Michael Andretti from FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem regarding new team entries.

Friday, May 12, 2023, Michael Andretti, owner of Andretti Autosport, watches action during practice for the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. / Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar / USA TODAY

Following a suggestion from FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, discussions about the potential sale of an existing Formula 1 team have surfaced, offering a new path for Michael Andreti and his Cadillac-backed venture.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has recently stated that the better option for Michael Andretti, looking to introduce a new team into Formula 1, might be to acquire an existing team instead of starting anew. Following this advice, F1 journalist Joe Saward has indicated that a current F1 team might soon be up for sale. In his latest 'Green Notebook' Saward wrote:

"The good news for Andretti is that it looks increasingly likely that a team may be for sale. We will see if it is within reach of his deep-pocketed backers, although it may not quite suit their original business plan to buy an F1 franchise cheaply."

By potentially buying an existing team, Andretti could sidestep the intricate and politically charged process of introducing a new team, which was initially approved by the FIA in October but rejected by Formula One Management (FOM) earlier this year.

Despite the earlier approval from the FIA, Ben Sulayem recently commented, as quoted by Autosport:

"I have no doubt FOM and Liberty [Media] would love to see other teams as long as they are OEMs.

"I would advise [Andretti] to go and buy another team, not to come as the 11th team.

"I feel that some teams need to be refreshed. What is better? To have 11 teams as a number or 10 and they are strong? 

"I still believe we should have more teams but not any teams. The right teams. It’s not about the number, it’s about the quality."

He continued:

"Without mentioning names, there are teams which are struggling. Struggling with performance, struggling even with management.

"It’s about having the right team, not to lose a chance or an opportunity where someone like GM with a PU is coming to Formula 1.

"Imagine the impact. We have three races in America. We have such a huge fan base. But we don’t have a proper [US] team. I’m so happy to have Ford in [with Red Bull] but imagine having GM and imagine having [more] American drivers."

It is currently not clear which team(s) Saward is referring to but it looks as though an option for Andretti could open up.