Andretti Global president J-F Thormann has revealed that expanding the team’s multitude of series they compete in to include NASCAR is possible.
Already, Andretti Global races in many championships including IndyCar, Indy NXT, Formula E and Australian Supercars.
The American team are also pushing to compete in Formula 1, although creating the 11th team on the grid is proving a difficult task.
The Andretti family have recently sampled the world of NASCAR, too, as Marco Andretti has competed in the Nascar Craftsman Truck Series over the past couple of years.
There is yet to be an official announcement about Andretti’s plans to compete in NASCAR but they have several options, including buying a charter for $20 million or £15.6 million.
Andretti are still pushing for an F1 entry as well as NASCAR
Formula 1 has become an increasingly closed shop with just 10 teams and 20 cars competing across the 2024 season, the longest in history with 24 races.
The Andretti name has a rich history in F1 as Mario Andretti became just the second American to win the world championship, taking the title in 1978 for Team Lotus.
But while Formula 1 is the itch Michael Andretti still yearns to scratch, Thormann does not rule out adding a NASCAR programme to the family’s existing empire.
“We’re the only ones that compete in the amount of series that we do,” Thormann told the Andretti Global YouTube channel. “And then the ambition that Mike still has – we still have to close the loop obviously with Formula 1, that’s well-documented – and hopefully NASCAR.
“Then we’re going to have a race virtually every weekend, and it’ll keep our name out there and keep us busy.”
Andretti have put together a convincing effort to try and join the Formula 1 grid, the championship left the door open for Andretti to compete in 2028 and they plan to have a works engine from General Motors.
An inexperienced team with an all-new works engine would present sizeable challenges for Andretti if they joined the grid.
Andretti’s president is proud to represent such a historic team
Andretti Global have been successful in multiple championships, winning the Formula E title in 2022-23 with Jake Dennis and winning their most recent IndyCar title in 2012 with Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Thormann said he takes pride in representing Andretti, especially with how well-known the brand and race team are in motorsport circles and the wider audience.
He added: “A lot of times when I travel if I have the branding on, the amount of people that will actually ask and say, ‘Do you work for the Andretti race team? Is it Mario? Is it Michael?’ You realise the power of the name and how recognised it is.
“It represents that hard work, Mario’s story of coming over with just their shirt on their backs. It’s just pride to wear that.”