Revealed: How Toyota are assisting Andretti F1 bid with ‘exclusive’ aid

As Andretti continue their push to make it onto the Formula 1 grid, they are doing so with the aid of Toyota expertise and their wind tunnel, as a major milestone looms.

The union of Andretti Global and Cadillac – a brand under American automotive giant General Motors – are striving to join the Formula 1 grid, with F1 2026 the targeted date of arrival. Governing body the FIA has given the green light, but Formula One Management has said no.

Andretti enjoying ‘exclusive’ use of Toyota wind tunnel

Andretti recently opened a new UK base at Silverstone as part of their F1 push, and Speedcafe report that the prospective team will reach the milestone of having a chassis – compatible with the F1 2026 regulations – available before the end of 2024.

F1 2026 will mark the introduction of new chassis and power units, featuring a greater reliance on electrical power and the use of fully-sustainable biofuels.

The report adds that crash and load testing will be the purpose of the chassis, with a design which can pass the FIA’s frontal impact test already in their arsenal.

And with extensive wind tunnel testing taking place, Andretti are said to have ‘exclusive’ use of the Toyota wind tunnel in Cologne, making use of the Japanese brand’s expertise in the process.

The McLaren F1 team had formerly used Toyota’s wind tunnel ahead of moving into their own newly-built facility in 2023.

The report adds that Andretti Global is planning a recruitment drive which will produce a 25 per cent increase on its current near-250-strong F1 workforce before Christmas.

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Should Andretti make it onto the F1 grid, then they would become the second American outfit in the series alongside Haas.

And Guenther Steiner – who put the foundations in place for Haas’ 2016 debut, securing the crucial Ferrari and Dallara partnerships, while also serving as their team boss until the end of 2023, believes he saw an error in the way Andretti went about their F1 push, arguing that the going public part should not have come first.

“First you make the deal, then you go public,” he told RacingNews365. “You don’t go public and try and make the deal.”

Steiner added that Haas “got agreements from both [the FIA and FOM] together”, as Andretti continue to tackle the headache of having only the FIA currently onboard with their prospective entry.

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