Michael Andretti said they will submit their final application to the FIA this week and that he is “building the team as we speak.”

Andretti are by far the most vocal potential new entrant with their goal, lead by owner Michael Andretti, having been first announced in February last year.

A full year has since come and gone and as of yet, they are no closer to getting on the grid despite announcing a partnership with General Motors’ Cadillac brand.

They are one of many teams currently undergoing the newly established FIA Expression of Interest process which opened in January 2023.

PlanetF1.com understands teams submitted their initial application earlier this year and last week received notes from the governing body on any potential changes they would need to make. A final decision on each application is expected in July.

Andretti was one of many big names on the grid for the Miami Grand Prix and provided an update to Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle on the current status of their bid.

“We’re working on it. We’re in the middle of our process with the FIA,” the 60-year-old said. “We are submitting our [final] paperwork this week and hopefully get an answer in the middle of July so we’re making good progress.”

The Andretti Group are aiming for a 2025 entry but face significant barriers to any arrival on the grid. None more daunting and challenging then trying to convince FOM to approve their application with the sport’s commercial rights holder proving to be the most pessimistic of the sport’s two major ruling bodies.

Andretti broke ground on a 575,000-square-foot base in Fishers, Indiana last December which will host their current motorsport operation and any future F1 activities. Michael Andretti said work on the team was “already happening” even without FIA and F1 approval.

“We’re building the team as we speak,” the former F1 driver said.

Andretti also said last week that he planned to expand their operation to F2 and F2 should their F1 bid be approved.

“We would set up shop over in England where we’re going to have the engineering shop for the F1 team.,” he told US publication Racer.

“If the F1 deal comes through, I want to do Formula 3 and Formula 2 as well.

“I want to be in control of bringing our drivers up through the system, because then you know what kind of equipment they have and how they’re being treated.”

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