Audi announces they are joining Formula 1
The FIA have turned down an application from Rodin Cars to enter Formula 1 in the coming years, the New Zealand outfit have announced. The world governing body of motorsport had invited applications for interested parties earlier this year to express their desire to enter F1 as a new team. But Rodin have been turned down, leaving one particular party as the heavy favourite.
The FIA opened a formal application process in February for teams interested in joining in 2025, 2026 or 2027 after a public plea from president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. However, Rodin – already a part of the F2 series with a joint title ownership with Carlin Racing – are now out of the running, its founder David Dicker confirmed on Thursday.
A statement from Dicker read: “Rodin Cars participated in the recent FIA process aimed at gaining entry into the prestigious Formula 1 world championship – unfortunately, our bid was not successful. Recent information suggests, as anticipated from the outset of this process, that the only successful applicant will be Andretti Global.”
Andretti are run by former F1 driver and racing mogul Michael Andretti, with teams in NASCAR and IndyCar, and the American giant has joined forces for a bid with General Motors’ Cadillac brand.
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Rodin also revealed that their blueprint for F1 would have potentially included opening a seat to a female driver. Britain’s Jamie Chadwick, a three-time winner of the W Series, would have been a candidate to fill the Rodin seat, although she does not currently possess a superlicence.
Ironically, Chadwick has been racing for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar feeder series Indy NXT in the United States. There have been calls for teams to give Chadwick a drive after dominating lower categories, given that the sport has not had a female racer in 47 years.
Under the current terms of the Concorde Agreement, which is due to be renegotiated before its expiry in 2025, any new team is required to pay a £178million ($200m) fee to be shared amongst the current 10 teams. F1 teams believe this amount is outdated and want the amount increased. German car manufacturer Audi have already announced they will be taking over the Sauber franchise in the coming years before their entry in 2025.
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Ben Sulayem said back in February that the growth of F1 on a global scale – with the hit Netflix series Drive to Survive playing a key role – has forced them to consider a new entry if it benefits the sport.
“The growth and appeal of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship is at unprecedented levels,” he said. “The FIA believes the conditions are right for interested parties, which meet the selection criteria, to express a formal interest in entering the championship.
“For the first time ever, as part of the selection conditions, we are requesting that candidates set out how they would meet the FIA’s sustainability benchmarks and how they would make a positive societal impact through sport.
“The process is a logical extension of the positive acceptance of the FIA’s 2026 F1 Power Unit Regulations from engine manufacturers which has attracted Audi to Formula 1 and created interest among other potential entrants.”
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