Andretti Global is not giving up on its dream to enter Formula 1. The company has assembled a dedicated team to develop a chassis for the 2026 season, which is expected to be ready by Christmas.
Andretti is still waiting for a starting spot in Formula 1, but that doesn’t stop the car company from working full steam ahead on their Formula 1 program. Over 250 employees, including former F1 executive Pat Symonds, are currently working on developing a 2026 car at the new Silverstone base.
Andretti’s development of their 2026 car is not hindered by current regulations or the budget cap, as the team is not yet on the grid. According to Speedcafe, Andretti is developing the 2026 chassis for load and crash tests, and the team already has a solution to pass the FIA’s frontal crash test.
Rejection
The American team tried to get on the Formula 1 grid in 2023, but the commercial rights holder, the FOM, rejected the application. At the time, the FIA had already opened the door a crack for Andretti, seeing no reason why the American team could not appear as the eleventh team on the grid after the completion of the background check. After the FOM’s rejection, Andretti launched a counterattack by mobilizing American politicians. It is therefore still unclear whether the American team will appear on the grid in 2026.
