Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has recently shared his thoughts on Formula One Management’s (FOM) decision to decline Andretti Global’s proposal to join the F1 lineup in 2026. In an exclusive interview with Lydia Mee via Sports Illustrated, Villeneuve suggested that FOM might have had access to critical information that the public was not privy to.
The Formula One community has been rife with discussions following the rejection of Andretti Global’s bid to enter the sport in 2026. The Canadian, who clinched the F1 championship in 1997, reflected on the complexities of introducing a new team into the highly competitive environment of Formula One. He highlighted the challenge of making informed judgments without full transparency.
“It depends. As a fan, you would want them in. But all we can say is that they [FOM] had information we didn’t have on how the team was going to be built. We don’t know. We only know what we see in the media and what we see in the media today is very dangerous because anyone with an account online can be a journalist and say whatever and suddenly, it’s true,” Villeneuve explained.
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The integration of new teams into F1 is not just about financial investment or having a reputable name in the motorsports arena. Villeneuve, who once co-founded the BAR team which evolved into the current Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, understands the intricacies involved. He continued:
“So it’s very difficult to start making judgments based on that, we don’t have all the info. But obviously it’s a big racing company, they have cars everywhere, they have big money behind them. Does that make them a potential winning team in F1? No. A potential, yes, but who knows.”
Villeneuve’s insight into the decision-making process highlights a crucial aspect of Formula One’s team entries.
“A lot of people have tried and broken their teeth. I built a team with Craig Polo, BAR, which today has become Mercedes. It’s not easy. It really is not easy even with the right people on board. So obviously they had some knowledge that we didn’t, if not, they would have been in,” he concluded.
Andretti Global, meanwhile, remains undeterred by FOM’s current stance. Last year, the FIA gave the green light to their F1 aspirations, but FOM has put a pin in their ambitions, pushing potential reconsideration to 2028. In defiance of this setback, Andretti has pressed forward, recently unveiling a state-of-the-art facility in Silverstone, signalling their unwavering commitment to their F1 ambitions.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.