Last week, we reported that Michael Andretti was applying for Formula 1 entry in 2024 under the team name Andretti Global. As a part of that story, it was mentioned that he already has an engine supplier lined up. Now, after some new reports, we not only know which manufacturer that is, but also who the team’s first driver will be should the application get accepted.
In an interview with Michael’s father Mario during this weekend’s IndyCar race at St. Petersburg, Florida, it was confirmed that Renault would supply the potential Andretti Global team with their power units. “We have formal agreement now on the engine supplier and it’s out there, it’s going to be Renault and I’m allowed to say it now,” Andretti told interviewer David Land.
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At one point Renault was supplying two other teams on the grid, a number equal to Mercedes and Ferrari at the time. However, after losing Red Bull to Honda in 2019 and McLaren to Mercedes in 2020, the team currently has no customers, only using their power units for their own car at Alpine.
Having another team using their engine could prove to be very valuable to them, as aside from the obvious financial benefits, they could also use that team as another source of R&D as well as an easy way for their academy drivers in lower formulas to make their way into F1. We already see something like this on the current grid with Mercedes and Williams, Red Bull and AlphaTauri, and Ferrari and Haas/Alfa Romeo.
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Something else from last week’s news that was confirmed in the interview is the team’s UK-based headquarters. “We know where the facility is going to be built in the UK. We know we have people, prominent individuals that have done this type of work as far as start-ups. We have a lot of things in mind,” said Andretti.
An Indianapolis headquarters would serve as home base for all of Andretti’s various motorsports teams, while the UK facility would be for the engineering staff. And while not confirmed, we suspect it would also be a way to make it more convenient for the kinds of global logistical feats an F1 team performs over the course of a season.
Last, but definitely not least, Colton Herta, the current Andretti IndyCar driver speculated to be a frontrunner for a seat at the F1 team, will officially be signed for Andretti Global if their application gets accepted.
All in all, they have a driver, an engine supplier and engineering facility are lined up, and the funds all seem to be there, meaning Andretti’s master F1 entry plan looks feasible.
