The rejection of Mario Andretti’s bid to join the F1 grid has caught the attention of the United States Congress. Republican Representative Jim Jordan has written a letter to F1’s owners, demanding transparency and explanations regarding the decision-making process that denied Andretti’s hopes of participating in the global motorsports series.
Mario Andretti, the 1978 Formula 1 world champion, had hoped to establish a two-car American team in F1. His application, submitted through Andretti Global, underwent a six-month review.
However, Formula One Management (FOM), the commercial rights holder of the sport, officially rejected Andretti’s bid. The rejection came as a blow to both Mario Andretti and General Motors (GM), which planned to partner with Andretti under its Cadillac brand.
Representative Jim Jordan, a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, has taken an interest in the matter. He seeks answers to ensure that no illegal anti-competitive behavior occurred during the decision-making process.
“The Committee on the Judiciary is responsible for examining the sufficiency of federal competition laws to protect against monopolies and other unfair restraints on trade,” he said as per Autosport.com.
“Sports leagues, like Formula 1, operate in a notable area of antitrust law in which some degree of collusion is necessary for the creation of the product.”
US House Judiciary Committee Chairman penned a letter to F1 owner
The United States House Judiciary Committee Chairman has penned a letter to Liberty Media, the owner of Formula 1, requesting documents related to Andretti Global’s referred entry into the sport.
Despite receiving approval from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the prospective American outfit failed to receive the crucial green light from Formula One Management (FOM) last October. Last week, 12 members of the US Congress also expressed their concerns in a letter addressed to Liberty President Greg Maffei, suggesting that antitrust laws may have been violated.
🚨| 12 members of the US Congress have written a letter to F1 owners, Liberty Media demanding justification for rejecting Andretti Global's bid to enter F1 in 2026. 👀#F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/mZRKiiYhmx
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) May 1, 2024
In the letter, Republican Representative Jim Jordan seeks answers, emphasizing the importance of examining federal competition laws to protect against monopolies and unfair restraints on trade. He points out that while sports leagues like Formula 1 operate in an area of antitrust law where some degree of collusion is necessary for creating the product, deviations from rules and practices that reduce competition and consumer interest may constitute anti-competitive conduct.
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