Why did Formula 1 make a "U" turn on their stance against having an 11th team in Andretti joining the grid? Did Formula 1 "use" Andretti to lure General Motors and Cadillac to the sport? OR did Andretti use GM-Cadillac to get their chance to race in Formula 1? Of course, Andretti will have a team on the grid in 2026, just not with their name on it!

In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah discuss the politics of the "11th team in Formula 1" while wondering if Andretti's playbook to "force" their way into the sport is something other car manufacturers in the world could use!?

McLaren vs. Ferrari, Hamilton vs. Russell, Alpine vs. Racing Bulls vs. Haas, but of course, Leclerc vs. Norris - lots of battles left in the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship. They will be fiercely fought over the next two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

The circuit characteristics of the Lusail International Circuit indicate that it should favour McLaren, but could Mercedes continue their momentum into Qatar? They were quick in the fast and sweeping Silverstone, while of course, Ferrari considers Lusail as one of their "weaker" circuits. Let's see how it rolls in Qatar, which also, is a Sprint weekend.

Tune in!

(Season 2024, Episode 60)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Image courtesy: General Motors, Cadillac

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