Formula 1, which stopped in the United States for the Miami Grand Prix (today free practice, tomorrow the Sprint Race at 6pm live on Sky and TV8, the race on Sunday evening at 10pm) is experiencing tumultuous days. On the one hand the resignation of Adrian Newey, the brilliant coach who announced his farewell to Red Bull in April 2025, on the other the Andretti case which, in the States, is involving not only the highest officials of the Circus but even the Washington Congress.
The background: Mario Andretti, glorious racing ace from the 1960s to 2000, at the beautiful age of 84 was convinced by his son Michael to create his own team in Formula 1. A championship which is becoming increasingly popular in the USA thanks to Liberty Media, the giant that manages four wheels and which, for a few weeks. he also got his hands on the motorbikes. There are ten teams now participating in F.1 and Andretti’s desire is to enter it in 2026.
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DRY NO
To the request, Liberty Media responded with a firm no, pushed by the current teams who do not want to lose their current privileges. With Andretti’s arrival, in fact, the slices of the millionaire pie that include TV rights, prizes and all the money assigned to the ten teams – apart from Haas, they are all European or Asian – would be smaller. Andretti got angry and, for old Piedone, even the American Congress took action denouncing a curious case of automotive “racism”. Twelve members of Congress sent a harsh letter to Liberty Media expressing concern “about anti-competitive actions that could prevent two American companies, Andretti Global and General Motors as a technical partner, from competing in Formula 1″. The bipartisan members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, invoke the Sherman Act (the US antitrust law which dates back to 1890) denouncing the exclusion of Andretti to favor the European teams and accusing Liberty Media of having defended a cartel: «It is a violation of the laws Americans”, they argue.
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Mario Andretti himself went outside the Capitol to assert his rights: «We are ready with everything we need. We have all the necessary passion and determination. Give us the green light and let us participate.” We will know shortly how this political-automotive jumble will end. In the meantime, returning to Formula 1 in the USA for the Miami Grand Prix, in the pits of the Reds in technical crisis despite the one-two in Australia, we are satisfied with an aesthetic make-up: the bodywork of the SF-24s of Sainz and Leclerc will race in Miami with a blue livery to remember the 158 F1 world championship in 1964 with John Surtees. Leclerc and Sainz will also wear a special uniform, predominantly La Plata Blue, including tracksuit, shoes, gloves and helmet, with inserts in Dino Blue and the team on the Sunday of the Grand Prix will also have the same color uniform.
