Andretti gives insight into squad's global growth plans

Michael Andretti had been talking about how his motor sports operation is quickly growing a global presence, ahead of its hoped-for forthcoming arrival in Formula 1.

For the last year, Andretti has been pushing to join the F1 grid as early as 2025, although there has been resistance from existing teams worried about the dilution of prize money if the number of teams rises from ten to 11.

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With the application process still ongoing, Andretti told Sky Sport F1 commentator Martin Brundle that he is already well underway building up a new team ready to go Grand Prix racing as soon as they get the nod.

“We’re already doing [a lot of work]," he said on Sunday on the grid just before the start of the Miami Grand Prix. "It’s already happening. We’re building a team as we speak.”

“That’s our goal,” the former F1 driver and son of 1978 world champion Mario Andretti added. “We’re working on it.

“We have that process that we’re in the middle of with the FIA. We’re submitting our paperwork this week, and hopefully getting an answer middle of July. So we’re making good progress."

Andretti has bolstered his bid by putting a partnership in place with American auto manufacturer Cadillac. Meanwhile, his IndyCar operation Andretti Autosport will field five entries in this month's Indianapolis 500.

And his ambitions also now extend into European junior championships, with Andretti eyeing a major move into European racing from a proposed new base in the United Kingdom.

“If the F1 deal comes through, I want to do Formula 3 and Formula 2 as well," he told RACER magazine. “We would set up shop over in England where we’re going to have the engineering shop for the F1 team."

Andretti explained that this was important as a way of putting in place a 'ladder' to develop future racing talent, as he's done in the US with the likes of Colton Herta, Pato O’Ward and recent maiden race winner Kyle Kirkwood.

"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," he said.

“[Otherwise] it’s hard to judge the drivers coming up through the ranks over there,” he continued. "Because if somebody’s got a big pocketbook, they get better treatment than a guy that’s got more talent.

"That’s not how we do things in our teams, so that’s a goal I want to set up over there.”

As well as seeking to enter Andretti Global into F1, Andretti has also been connected to rumours of a potential buy out of the AlphaTauri team since the passing of team owner Dieter Mateschitz last autumn.

AlphaTauri attempted to sign Andretti star Colton Herta to race in F1 this season in what was seen in some parts as a 'bridgehead' for a greater partnership, if not an outright takeover.

The deal was blocked when the FIA refused to grant Herta a dispensation for having insufficient superlicence points to be eligible to run in F1. AlphaTauri signed Nyck de Vries instead, releasing Pierre Gasly to go to Alpine.

Meanwhile O'Ward continues to be linked to the McLaren F1 squad, having been part of their IndyCar set-up since its inception.

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