Andretti Global Looks to Expand To NASCAR, Still Pushing For Formula One

Source: Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment / other

Between IndyCar, Indy NXT, Formula E, IMSA Sportscars, Super COPA, and Australian Supercars, the team is hoping to add yet another series to its repertoire.

In a video released on Thursday, Andretti Global president JF Thormann announced that the team is planning to expand its operation into the NASCAR Cup Series. This comes as the team still has ambitions to join the Formula One grid.

“We’re the only ones that compete in the amount of series that we do,” Thormann said. “And then the ambition that Mike still has – we still have to close the loop obviously with Formula 1, that’s well-documented – and hopefully NASCAR. Then we’re going to have a race virtually every weekend and it’ll keep our name out there and keep us busy.”

Thormann said the expansion is appropriate given the Andretti name’s history in stock car racing.

“A lot of times when I travel if I have the branding on, the amount of people that will actually ask and say ‘do you work for the Andretti race team, is it Mario, is it Michael?’ You realize the power of the name and how recognized it is,” he added. “It represents that hard work, Mario’s story of coming over with just their shirt on their backs. It’s just pride to wear that.”

At the moment, the team is only in the exploratory phase of expanding to NASCAR.

Earlier this year Andretti Global, in a partnership with GM’s Cadillac brand, was denied entry onto the F1 grid by the series despite gaining approval from the FIA, which is the governing body of international motorsport. F1’s commercial arm, made up mostly of current team principals and executives, told Andretti that adding them to the grid “would not add value to the series.”

The decision was met with lots of backlash against Formula One, especially from those within North American open-wheel racing circles.

Andretti is intent on trying again to join Formula One in 2028, which is when the current Concorde Agreement between F1 teams and series bosses expires and the new one takes effect.

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