F1 CEO: Andretti comments were ‘not smart’

Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali has issued a warning to prospective F1 team owner Michael Andretti, saying some of his recent comments in the media were “not smart”.

Andretti has joined forces with American car manufacturer Cadillac in the hope of setting up a new F1 team in 2026, but the project is subject to a stringent application process that requires approval from both the FIA and F1.

The Andretti/Cadillac bid initially garnered support from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, but there have been very few signs of support from F1’s existing teams or Domenicali, who is the CEO of the commercial arm of the sport.

If Andretti is accepted it would result in F1’s prize money fund being diluted to accommodate an 11th team, and some existing F1 outfits have questioned whether Andretti would bring enough value to the sport to warrant a share of its revenues.

In an interview not long after announcing his bid to enter F1, Andretti responded by saying the lukewarm response of rival teams was “all about greed and looking after themselves.”

In an interview with Sky Sports, Domenicali said it is “not smart” for Andretti to criticise the other F1 teams.

“We are very welcoming of everyone that is bringing value to the racing,” Domenicali said. “I think we need to respect everyone.

“There are teams like Mario and Michael Andretti being very vocal about their will to enter Formula One. But in my view [it is] not smart to say that teams are greedy.”

Domenicali said Andretti is not the only prospective entrant embarking on the process of joining F1 as a new team in 2026.

“There are others that are much less vocal that would like to come into Formula One, so there is a process to respect and we will make sure together with the FIA that the process will be respected.

“There are a lot of dimensions to consider and we don’t have to overreact because someone is pushing the system.

“The process will be done seriously in the right way someone is shouting and someone is not shouting.”