Michael Andretti has labelled opposition to Andretti Global’s prospective entry to the Formula 1 grid as a ‘mystery’ as the team prepares to test a 2023 prototype in the wind tunnel next week.

Earlier this month, the FIA announced that it had approved Andretti’s bid to become the sport’s 11th team. Now, the outfit must agree commercial terms with FOM ahead of a targeted 2025 arrival on the grid.

Andretti’s bid has faced great criticism from incumbent team principals who fear that the American entry wouldn’t provide enough additional value to the sport to justify a dilution of prize funds.

“Thank you to the FIA and the president of the FIA for putting the expression of interest out there,” Andretti told Sky Sports F1 on Friday.

“It was very vigorous, it was a very tough thing to go through for our team and I’m proud to say we came out on top in every category, and we’re very proud of that.

“It definitely shows that we have the right to be here on the grid, and we’re excited about that. We think we have something really to offer to Formula 1 fans.”

Speaking of the criticism his bid has faced from would-be rivals, the CART champion said: “I don’t know. It’s a mystery to me in some ways, why they’re pushing back.

“They say we’re slicing the pie, but I think the point is, hopefully we bring in more than we’re taking away, and we really believe that.

“If you look at the fan support on all of the surveys that have been done, we think that we’re going to add to it, not take away.”

Should the team be successful in negotiations with FOM, Andretti is planning for a 2025 arrival rather than 2026.

The American was proud to share the extent of preparations revealing that a 2023 spec prototype is set for wind tunnel testing next week.

“Our car is actually going to be in the wind tunnel next week, so we have a car already built up in ’23 spec. So we’re flat out.

“We’re building a team, so you know, at the moment it’s ’25, could be ’26, but we’ll see.”

As far as personnel, former Lotus and Renault F1 technical director Nick Chester was brought on board to lead the project earlier this year, and Andretti has his sights set on American talent to fill one of his seats.

“Obviously we’ve talked a lot about Colton [Herta] and Colton is definitely at the top of our list but obviously we have the points problem,” he added.

“So we have to see how he does in the IndyCar championship to hopefully get enough points to get a superlicence.

“But then we’ve talked to a few others as well that do qualify. But the goal is to have at least one American in the car and then an experienced driver in the other car to help mentor that.”

Andretti Formula E have unveiled a completely new livery for the 2023/24 Formula E World Championship, which now consists of white, red and blue.

The famous American outfit showed the design to the world on Friday afternoon, with the company’s Formula E team being the first to showcase their new colours since rebranding as Andretti Global. The livery is made up of mainly white, whilst the side of the car is made up mostly of red, which streaks to the back of the car. A blue strip is also present and runs down the car, starting in-line with the wing mirrors.

The Porsche customer team’s new livery will make its debut next week in Valencia, where pre-season testing will take place. Reigning World Champion Jake Dennis has been retained by Andretti for season 10, whilst he’s been joined by Norman Nato.

Andretti Global CEO and Chairman Michael Andretti believes it’s “fitting” that the new livery in recognition of the company’s rebrand will be run by the reigning World Champion, ahead of what Andretti hopes will be another triumphant season.

“Andretti Global is built on a foundation of racing excellence, and it’s been rewarding to see our history and success come together in such a seamless, visual way,” said Andretti.

“The special Formula E livery we’re running in Valencia is a great representation of what we set out to achieve with this rebrand, and it’s fitting that the first time the Andretti Global brand will be on full display will be riding along with a reigning World Champion.”

Dennis’ season nine campaign was unbelievable, with him having broken the record for most podiums in a single season. Being World Champion, of course, comes with its perks. One of them being the ability to run the No.1 plate. Dennis told Motorsport Week after he claimed the title in London that he intended to run the special number, something which has since been confirmed.

“I’ve always wanted to earn the right to use the No. 1 at some point in my career, and to do so for the first time in our new Andretti Global livery makes the moment even more special,” Dennis said.

As mentioned, alongside Dennis this season is Nato, who has joined Andretti to replace André Lotterer. Nato was released by Nissan at the conclusion of season nine, in what was a surprise to many given how well he ended the season. He will retain his No.17 for 2023/24, with the number being a “tribute” to his “great friend”, the late Jules Bianchi.

“I’m proud to race under the No. 17 for the upcoming season – the number means a lot to me,” said Nato. “I started in karting and won championships with the 17, but Jules also raced with the number, which makes it even more special. It’s a tribute to a great friend and an outstanding driver.”

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is confident that Formula 1’s regulations will ensure that Andretti will have an engine deal in place if it ends up on the grid.

Andretti – spearheaded by Michael, son of 1978 F1 Drivers’ Champion Mario – successfully passed the first hurdle en route to securing a spot in F1 when the FIA accepted its proposal.

The American entity will now be subject to scrutiny by Formula One Management as it now seeks commercial approval to join F1 from either 2025 or 2026 onwards.

General Motors brand Cadillac has partnered with Andretti for the bid, which has split the F1 paddock in two, with some saying no value is being added via an 11th team, but the promise of a Cadillac power unit down the line is a promising one.

However, a Cadillac PU is some way off being a reality, with Andretti needing a customer engine deal in place to start its F1 journey, one which was initially held with Alpine – but Bruno Famin, Interim Team Principal of the Anglo-French outfit has said such a deal has expired.

“We are demanding that and we will see that,” Ben Sulayem told selected media of a Cadillac PU in the future.

“But engines are not built in four or five years.

“At the beginning, Andretti will have to agree on one of two engines.

“It works that, with the rules, nobody can say no to them,” he continued.

“If all the teams say no, then the FIA has the power to go on and say, the least two [engine manufacturers] being used, then we put them in a draw, and we take one.

“It’s not a secret, and I’m sure it is either Alpine or Honda, and one of them would win because that is the rules.”

Ben Sulayem is referring to an item in the F1 rulebook (namely appendix six of the sporting regulations) that states the power unit manufacturer with the fewest amount of customers will be required to supply a new entrant into the sport.

As of 2025, Alpine will be the only PU supplier with one customer on the grid, itself, and a year later Honda will re-enter the fray with Aston Martin as their sole PU customer in a works deal.

Audi, who will also be bringing a PU to the table in 2026, is exempt from the ruling above as they are a new PU entrant.

That leaves Alpine and Honda as potential PU suppliers for Andretti, who would need to secure a deal on June 1 a year prior to its entry (e.g June 1, 2024, if joining the grid in 2025 or June 1, 2025, if joining the grid in 2026).

Despite Andretti previously being linked with Alpine over an F1 engine deal, Honda coming back into the fold for 2026 provides an intriguing alternative, given the Japanese marque already supplies Andretti with engines over in IndyCar and Andretti has a hand in the IMSA effort Wayne Taylor Racing, which runs an Acura (part of the Honda brand) prototype machine.

But the long-term goal remains a GM/Cadillac PU and Ben Sulayem is confident that such an achievement can be made and that it would be for the good of the sport.

“I am optimistic with GM coming with the power unit,” he said.

“I am very optimistic, not just optimistic.

“In the last 20 months to have two major OEMs, which is Audi and Andretti/GM, and to have a power unit from Audi, and we are on the right track of having a power unit from Cadillac, that is an achievement.”

Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur asserts that Andretti must demonstrate its “added value” to Formula 1 beyond being a prospective American entry to secure a place on the grid.

Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, the FIA formally announced that it had finally approved Andretti Formula Racing’s proposal to join F1 as early as the 2025 season.

However, Michael Andretti’s eponymous team must negotiate terms with Formula One Management before it is given the green light to become the series’ latest addition.

Since the FIA opened up an Expression of Interest process back in February, forthcoming applicants have been met with stern resistance by the 10 current teams, who have all alleviated concern over the end-of-season prize pot becoming diluted with an extra name introduced to the fold.

After Williams chief James Vowles declared F1 shouldn’t welcome an 11th team until the existing sides are all “financially stable”, Vasseur believes the landscape has changed since the previous Concorde Agreement opened the door for grid expansion.

“It’s not a secret that I’m not a big fan,” Vasseur said in Qatar following the news that Andretti had been accepted by the FIA.

“That when we opened the door to an 11th team in the Concorde Agreement last time, it was for good reason, that at this stage Honda said already that they would leave F1 and Renault was on the edge. It mean that we had only Mercedes and Ferrari confirmed for the future.

“And we opened the door to an 11th team in case of they could bring something substantial to the F1 – and I think at this stage that was mainly the engine.”

“As James said before, all the teams on the grid they made a big effort… We have to keep in mind that three or four years ago we had almost half of the grid quite close to the bankruptcy and we have to avoid to be arrogant that F1… The life is a cycle and we don’t know what could happen before 2030. And I would think that we would put F1 in a tough situation for this.”

Vasseur has also downplayed that Andretti’s status as an American outfit would make its inclusion worthwhile, pointing to Haas and Logan Sargeant’s existing participation.

“Except if the new entrant is bringing massive added value to the F1,” the Ferrari team boss continued. “And I didn’t have access to the CEO of Andretti, but I think it’s the first question: what is the added value for the F1?

“We have already a 10th team who is American with Haas. We have an American driver on the grid. And the question for me is around this. What could be the value?”

Haas has already confirmed that its two drivers will sport special race suits for its second home race of the 2023 season in Austin, Texas this weekend.

The Kannapolis-based squad are also set to unveil a revised livery, something it also did for last year’s United States Grand Prix event.

Williams Team Principal James Vowles has outlined why it is “strongly against” the addition of an 11th side on the Formula 1 grid.

Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, the FIA confirmed that it had formally given the green light to Andretti Formula Racing’s bid to join F1 as early as the 2025 season.

However, the American entity must now negotiate commercial terms with Formula One Management, meaning its future place is by no means secure at this stage.

Andretti, along with every other proposal, has been met with stern resistance by the sport and its 10 teams, who are concerned by the end-of-year prize pool becoming smaller.

Despite F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali claiming every team is worth “almost billions”, Vowles predicts that at least half of the current 10 teams still aren’t financially stable.

Among that group is Williams, which is why Vowles suggests an extra team should only be accommodated once every outfit can boast that it has reached that point.

“My thoughts are very clear. Williams is against the addition of an 11th team. And very strongly against,” he declared in Qatar.

“But I’ll explain the reasons behind that and why. My responsibility is to 900 employees within my company. If you go look at Companies House, you can go look it up for Williams, we’ve submitted it now, you can see that we’re lossy. We’re very lossy.

“In fact, compare it from ’21 to ’22, you’ll see that losses are in the tens of millions more. Compare it to ’23, which you won’t see but I’ll guarantee you, it’s multiples above that.

“The reason why is we’re investing in this sport, to become better. We believe in where the sport is going, we believe in the direction of travel of the sport. In order to do that… the reason why is we actually have, I think, a sustainable entity for once.

“Teams are working more and more together, we have close racing as a result of things – but it should be known that this isn’t just us that are not financially stable. I’d say probably half the grid aren’t. I think the addition of an 11th team is a sensible thing – but only at a point where the 10th team on the grid is financially stable.

“I’m fortunate to have owners that really believe in what we’re doing and to invest in what we’re doing – but we need to take care as a sport to make sure we look after that.

“Everyone says we’re in a good place – we are in some regards, but now those facts down the line, that this is tens of millions, or, in fact, hundreds of millions you’ll see shortly, being invested to make the sport better, it becomes very clear why we’re very careful about diluting what we’ve already got – because it’s just more losses on the table.”

Earlier this year, Andretti announced that it had teamed up with General Motors for its F1 endeavours in a move which would see the Cadillac name prop up in the sport.

Vowles admits that he would welcome GM “open-armed” and would be open to the possibility of Williams securing an alliance with the American automotive company if Andretti’s bid doesn’t materialise.

“Now, we’ve been clear from the beginning, more than happy to bring in new entities, but the pie has to grow as a result of it, not shrink, and so far it’s just shrinking,” he reiterated.

“For clarity on that, that’s not against either Andretti or GM, quite the opposite. I welcome GM open-armed, and Williams welcomes GM open-arms and I hope to forge a relationship with them, should things not work out. They are an incredible entity that I think will make the sport better.

“So, it’s not that we’re close-minded to more people coming into the sport, but what we’re very careful on is protecting the sport we have right now.”

Pressed on whether that hinted that Williams had held any negotiations with GM, Vowles retorted: “No, no, we don’t. We obviously have a Mercedes power unit in the back. We have nothing agreed yet for ’26.

“My point was more that an organisation, an OEM like GM absolutely would be welcome in our sport, and we would give welcome arms also to them at that stage but they’re clearly linked to Andretti. It’s not a question of that and we’re not in talks with them at the moment.”

Alpine’s Interim Team Principal Bruno Famin has said that as of right now the team has “absolutely no contract with Andretti” over a Formula 1 engine deal.

Michael Andretti’s prospective eponymous Formula 1 team entry passed FIA approval recently, with acceptance into F1 by way of a commercial agreement now in the hands of Formula One Management.

It’s needless to say the proposal of Andretti – with the might of General Motors/Cadillac behind it – to join F1 has created a difference of opinion within the sport’s ranks.

Earlier this year, both McLaren and Alpine expressed support for the Andretti bid, with the latter said to have brokered an engine deal should the American outfit join the grid as an 11th team.

But now, Famin has stated that the terms of agreement for such a deal have expired.

“We had a pre-contract with Andretti, which has expired because they were supposed to be granted an F1 entry before a given date,” he told Autosport.

“It means right now, if we want to do something with Andretti, we need to negotiate a full contract, a formal contract.

“Everybody knows what the situation is, we need something, and we need a decision from F1 before resuming with Andretti.”

Asked whether Famin and Alpine as a whole still support an 11th team joining the F1 grid, his answer leant towards the addition of Andretti being seen as a positive if the arrival of the team adds something to the sport.

“We have nothing against 11 teams if it really brings real added value to the business as a whole, and to F1 in general,” he added.

“It’s up to F1, to the promoter, to assess what is the real added value an 11th team may bring.

“And if they evaluate that there is really a big added value, we will be happy with that.

“What we don’t want is that an 11th team dilutes the value of our assets in the championship.

“Of course, if that will be the case, we will be against that.”

Andretti, son of 1978 F1 Drivers’ Champion Mario, has said that his team will “benefit our customers while heightening enthusiasm for F1, globally.”

Reports have stated that should Andretti make its way onto the F1 grid, Cadillac and GM will explore developing their own power unit for the future.

Should that be the case, the bid may gain more approval from existing F1 teams, with Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner having told Sky Sports F1 that “ideally, I think they need to do their own engine.”

In the meantime, should Andretti pass muster with FOM and earn its place on the F1 grid, talks with Alpine over an initial engine deal will likely resume, with the Anglo-French outfit currently only supplying its own entry.

Formula 1 drivers seemed a lot more welcoming than their teams following the news that Andretti Formula Racing has been given the green light by the FIA to join the grid as the sport’s 11th team.

Now that the governing body has approved Andretti’s application, the arrival of a new team remains subject to commercial discussions with FOM.

Current teams are generally opposed to an expansion of the F1 grid due to concerns of diluting prize funds and revenue.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has been one of the most vocal critics of Andretti’s bid, citing safety concerns and the financial implications for incumbent outfits.

In a contradiction to his boss’ comments, Lewis Hamilton stated that he would welcome an 11th F1 team: “I think from a driver’s perspective, it’s exciting to potentially see more cars.

“And then the idea of an 11th team… You know, we have over 2,000 people in our team. So that’s, that’s a huge amount of jobs. But we have to make sure that the criteria, which is quite strict is really respected.”

The FIA opened a new teams process in February, assessing applicants on their sporting and technical ability, and their ability to raise and maintain sufficient funding to compete at a representative level.

Prospective teams were also asked to outline their sustainability plans to match the sport’s drive to become net-zero by 2030 as well as a demonstration of how they intend to achieve a positive social impact through participation in the series.

“I feel like we need to amend the criteria actually, and make sure that there’s an opportunity for real impact, really making sure that if there is a new team, they have to be diverse,” Hamilton continued, critiquing the lack of representation in the sport currently.

“They have to perhaps create an opportunity for a female driver to come through. And it has to be diverse from the top up. At the moment, it’s all white owners. And there’s a real lack of diversity from the top down. It’s all male, and that needs to change.”

“I really do have 100% faith in Stefano, who I’ve known for a long, long time. I think what he’s doing at the top, there’s no one that could do a better job than him. And I know that he will make the right decision.”

Newly crowned three-time champion Max Verstappen acknowledged that vested interests held by current teams creates a “tricky” situation for Andretti and FOM.

“It’s always very hard to comment on that. I speak from the driver’s side. Everything I’ve seen so far, plus the partners they have and the name, they have shown they are a professional team.

“So it would be I think nice because it gives more opportunities for the driver’s side.

“But I can understand from the team’s side, they don’t want it. It’s a tricky one, it’s a tough one. And at the end of the day, the FIA and the teams, and FOM, they have more information about how serious everything is and how well everything is prepared. That’s why it’s not going to be a very easy decision to make.”

The president of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, George Russell, urged for quality over quantity with regards to any expansion of the F1 grid.

“Formula 1’s the pinnacle and we want to see quality competition so I’m not for, I’m not against, but definitely if there were to be an extra team it’s got to be a quality outfit, one that can add to the sport,” the Briton added.

“We want to see competition, in an ideal world you want to see all ten teams fighting against one another. So I’m sure F1 will come to the best conclusion and answer whatever it may be, but we’ve got to have quality over quantity.”

Fernando Alonso was also cautious in his response to media questioning over the addition of Andretti to the F1 grid.

The Spaniard, who competed with Andretti in his 2017 shot at the Indy 500, initially said: “A great team. I know Michael [Andretti], and he will be, obviously a great name to add to Formula 1 but there are other people in charge of this kind of decision and first the FIA and the FOM and the teams as well.”

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll had already positioned himself, and Aston Martin, as staunchly opposed to any expansion saying “if it isn’t broken, you don’t need to fix it.”

Asked about the prospect of greater competition in the series, Alonso considered: “I don’t know how many years I will be here, but I don’t know in Formula 1 there is not much of a battle between teams.

“Even if we are 50 on track, we will only fight against one or two drivers, because they have more or less the same package as you have.

“There have been some discussions in the past as well, even having three cars per team, things like that. So, at the end, you never know what is the best solution. But as I said, I think we have very good people deciding these kinds of things. We trust completely the FIA, the FOM, so we are in good hands.”

Liam Lawson made what is expected to be a final start for AlphaTauri in 2023 in Qatar, with Daniel Ricciardo set to return to action in Austin next weekend.

Despite an impressive stint as a substitute, the Kiwi will likely be without a race seat for 2024 with AlphaTauri confirming Yuki Tsunoda and Ricciardo for next season, and Red Bull remaining firm on their commitment to Sergio Perez.

Asked whether an 11th F1 team would make his mission of finding a full-time seat simpler, Lawson responded: “In my situation, I think yes. It could definitely help.

“Obviously having more cars on the grid for racing, but it’s something I’ve never really thought about because it’s always just been 10 teams like this.

“So yeah, honestly, I don’t really know. I think, specifically for someone like me, yes, it can help make their step in Formula 1.”

Andretti’s addition to the F1 grid is now subject to reaching a commercial agreement with FOM and F1 rights holder Liberty Media.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem believes Formula 1 needs “more teams and fewer races,” amid concerns over whether the proposed Andretti bid will be accepted by the sport.

Andretti – owned by ex-IndyCar Champion and former F1 driver Michael Andretti and backed by General Motors brand Cadillac – was the only prospective F1 team bid to pass the FIA’s approval, with the matter of approving the American team’s entry now in the hands of Liberty Media/FOM.

Concerns have emanated from the current 10 teams on the grid, with talk that the anti-dilution fee of $200 million in the current Concorde Agreement is too low for a new entry.

The teams have persistently pointed out how the value of the current sides and the entire sport has risen dramatically across the past few years.

What’s more, next year will feature a record 24-race calendar, two more than the current record 22 races being run in 2023.

“The circuits are supposed to have enough garages and space for 12 teams…I think the number of races is too much (rather) than the number of teams,” Ben Sulayem told Reuters in Qatar.

“The teams are looking at the piece of cake. I understand their worries…but our worries are different.”

Whilst there is a possibility of Andretti competing in F1 without the approval of FOM, thus racing without a commercial agreement, Ben Sulayem has said “We hope not. But it could happen.

“The FIA should be asking, begging, OEMs (car manufacturers) to come in. We should not just say no to them,” he continued.

“If you say what is my dream, it is to fill up the 12 (slots) and to have one U.S. team from an OEM and a PU (power unit) and a driver from there driving.

“And then go to China maybe and ask for the same thing and do it.”

Some chatter within the paddock has called for Andretti to simply buy its way in by taking over an existing entry, in a similar fashion to Audi’s impending takeover of Sauber.

However, Ben Sulayem has also dismissed the validity of this approach.

“You cannot force Andretti/GM to buy another team just because they want to sell,” he added.

“I won’t mention names but they were after me to go on and convince GM to do that. It’s not my job. I was not elected to do that. I am not a broker.”

Both points put forward by Ben Sulayem are extremely relevant in F1 at the present moment, with extended calendars leading to concerns of staff burnout and fans losing interest amid an early title resolution (Max Verstappen’s third title having been wrapped up with five rounds to spare).

The impending proposal of a new team has only led to a potential dispute opening up between FOM and the FIA.

Ben Sulayem was keen to outline that there is no such struggle between the governing body of world motorsport and F1 but elected to define the FIA as the primary custodian of the sport.

“We are not a service provider,” he said. “We own the championship.

“We leased it, we are the landlord. So that has to be respected also.

“My intention was never to embarrass or to put someone in a corner, Liberty or FOM (Formula One Management). I am here for the spirit of the sport.”

Romain Grosjean has revealed that he has commenced arbitration proceedings against Andretti Autosport over the loss of his IndyCar seat.

The Frenchman has driven for Andretti for the past two seasons, and it became apparent toward the end of this past year that he would not continue to drive for the team in 2024.

No formal announcement of his departure was ever distributed, just a couple spoken comments confirming he would be leaving the team, which led to assumptions that the decision to split was not fully amicable.

Those assumptions were confirmed with the news that he is entering arbitration against the team in order to solve their dispute.

Grosjean revealed the news on Wednesday afternoon, posting a message to social media explaining the situation and saying that he believed he would be able to continue racing with the team into the future.

“I enjoyed working with the IndyCar team at Andretti Autosport, and am proud of the successes we shared through two seasons,” read Grosjean’s statement on social media. “I am thankful for the many friendships developed at the highest level of American open-wheel racing.

“I had expected to continue racing with the fine people of Andretti Autosport in the coming year. I am disappointed that is not being fulfilled, and wish Andretti team members well. I am pursuing other options to continue my IndyCar career in pursuit of excellence.

“I have commenced an arbitration proceeding against Andretti Autosport, seeking to protect by rights. I am represented by John Maley and Mark Owens of Barnes & Thornburg, LLP.”

Arbitration is a bit different than a full lawsuit, such as the one Alex Palou is embroiled in with McLaren, and likely means the two sides will be able to agree on a solution without a drawn-out process and without going to court.

Grosjean was known to be at the center of a few intra-team disputes in his time at Andretti. He was seen multiple times having heated arguments with his crew, and has made more than a few drivers angry with his on-track driving in the past couple seasons.

It is unknown how much those incidents factored into Andretti’s decision not to extend his contract, or how far along those discussions were.

At this time, Grosjean does not have an announced ride for the 2024 IndyCar season, although he will be part of Lamborghini’s GTP sportscar program.

Andretti says it will continue with its plans to join Formula 1’s grid “as soon as possible” in the wake of its application being approved.

Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, confirmed on Monday that Andretti Formula Racing was the only applicant to meet its threshold for a potential new team.

Andretti’s bid has now been put forward to allow the company to undertake commercial discussions with Formula 1’s owner Liberty Media.

Formula 1 is in no obligation to approve Andretti’s entry despite the FIA giving the green light.

No timeframe has been outlined in terms of commercial discussion.

“Andretti Cadillac is honoured that the FIA has approved Andretti Formula Racing’s Expression of Interest for the FIA Formula One World Championship,” read a statement issued by the team.

“We appreciate the FIA’s rigorous, transparent and complete evaluation process and are incredibly excited to be given the opportunity to compete in such a historic and prestigious Championship. 

“The formation of this distinctly American team is an important moment of pride for all our employees and fans.

“We feel strongly that Andretti Cadillac’s deep racing competencies and the technological advancements that come from racing will benefit our customers while heightening enthusiasm for F1, globally.   

“We look forward to engaging with all of the stakeholders in Formula One as we continue our planning to join the grid as soon as possible.”