Big Steps Forward for Andretti Cadillac

Sports Fans Coalition called out the anticompetitive practices of Liberty Media while they tried to prevent Andretti from joining Formula 1. Now, it seems, they heard our call. Andretti’s mission of joining the grid for the 2026 season has come to fruition, albeit under a different name.

The FIA is the governing body of F1 that sets the rules and regulations. On top of this they determine whether a team is capable of competing in F1, which they did with Andretti Cadillac. Despite this, Liberty Media rejected Andretti Global stating:

"We do not believe that the Applicant would be a competitive participant…our research indicates that F1 would bring value to the Andretti brand rather than the other way around.”

We called foul! SFC aided in making lawmakers and regulators aware of the unfair and anticompetitive practices of Liberty Media to deny Andretti Cadillac’s entry into F1. For American fans everywhere, we spoke up to ensure that the first all-american racing team was out there on the grid. We pointed to the irony of how Liberty Media Corporation wanted a stronger American fanbase in supporting F1, but did not want a qualified American team to race. 

In the battle to show Andretti Cadillac’s ability to be competitive on the negotiation side, the company knew it had to make some changes. Michael Andretti assumed a smaller role at Andretti Global from CEO to give the mantle to Dan Towriss, a primary partner of Andretti Global. With most negotiations being behind the scenes from the public eye, news sources show a massive win for the team, now racing under General Motors. 

To be more competitive on the grid, AndrettiCadillac also appointed Rob White as the new Chief Operating Officer. White was a former Renault engineer, and former operations director at Renault’s Alpine F1 unit. From 2004 to 2016, White was deputy managing director for the manufacturer's engine operations. 

This is all in addition to Andretti hiring former coworkers of White. These men include: Nick Chester, Jon Tomlinson, and Pat Symonds. Nick Chester will be the technical director, Jon Tomlinson will be the head of aerodynamics, and Pat Symonds will be the executive engineering consultant.

Sports Fans Coalition supports the all-american race team on the F1 grid, and will continue to show our support by cheering them on in 2026.