Andretti must work with or replace existing team to enter F2 or F3 – CEO

The CEO of Formula 2 and Formula 3 says there isn’t room in either series for Andretti to enter as an additional team.

Andretti Global is seeking to enter Formula 1 and have also indicated an interest in joining its two feeder series. However Bruno Michel, who runs the two categories, sees no room to expand the current grids in either.

“For Formula 3, I think it’s completely out of the question to increase the number of cars,” he told media including RaceFans. “Thirty cars is already a lot and it’s a very good number.”

F3 is contested by 10 teams, each running three cars. Michel said it would be difficult to “find the proper number of drivers for the teams” if the grid expanded.

“The teams have to be able to find the drivers, which is not always an easy situation. For 30 drivers, even if all the categories under are pouring into Formula 3 – whether it’s Formula 4, Formula Regional – it’s still not an easy figure to arrive at.

“Then after that on the track, we know as well that at some point having too many cars is not very good for the Racing, and also to have a consistent grid. So for Formula 3, there will not be additional cars.”

F2 has a smaller grid of 11 two-car teams, but although it had 26 cars when it was branded as GP2, Michel is not convinced the field should get any larger.

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“We used to be 26 cars in GP2, and then we went down to 20 and then we went up to 22. I’m quite happy with the figures we have at the moment, for several reasons.

“Number one, same thing, it has to be viable for the teams and finding… 22 drivers with proper budgets is never an easy task. That’s the number one thing.

“Then also we need to look at how many seats will be available in Formula 1 as well and there shouldn’t be a point of having too many drivers in Formula 2 because at the end of the day some drivers won’t be to go up and it might be a little bit too difficult. So I would say that at the moment I’m not so inclined to increase the number of teams.”

However Michel said Andretti are welcome to submit an entry in order to be considered as a potential replacement for an existing team in either series.

“They can try to do a deal with an existing team, or they can apply, and if they apply there’s always a possibility that one team will not continue or one team will not have done the proper job and then in that case, they would have a chance to come in.”

He said he has had no formal approach from the American team, which already competes in IndyCar, Formula E and other categories, about joining F1’s feeder series.

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“I read, a few things on Andretti saying exactly the same thing, that they want join F2 and F3, but we haven’t been in contact, yet. Probably it will happen. I understood that Andretti was linking also that possible programs to a Formula 1 program, which at the moment is still not decided.

“Now, if Andretti wants to join F2 and F3, they have to go through the same process as everybody else, because that’s the way it’s working. We have a selection process every three years in both categories.

“The one in F2 happened last year, at the end of 2023, so the next one will be in three years’ time. For F3 the selection process is going to be this year. So if they want to join, they of course have to go through the process.

“I don’t know how it works in their strategy, because they also discussing the F1 possibility at the same time. So for me it’s something that is in the air, it’s not really concrete at the moment.”

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