Mario Andretti Claims Liberty Media CEO Blocked Son's F1 Team Entry

Former Formula 1 champion Mario Andretti has accused Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei of personally intervening to block his son Michael Andretti's Formula 1 team from entering the championship. This allegation comes despite the FIA's initial acceptance of their proposal.

The contentious exchange reportedly took place during the Miami Grand Prix at an invitation-only breakfast reception at the Palm Club. Mario Andretti recounted a conversation with Maffei, during which Maffei allegedly stated, "I want to tell you that I will do everything in my power to see that Michael never enters Formula 1."

Andretti was taken aback by Maffei's comment, describing it as "just like a bullet through my heart." He mentioned that Maffei walked away after making the remark and has not spoken with him since.

A Liberty Media source disputed Andretti's account, claiming that Andretti approached Maffei at the breakfast. According to the source, Maffei explained the rejection of their application to join the grid in 2025 or 2026 was due to good business reasons.

Michael Andretti's bid to expand the Formula 1 grid has faced significant resistance. The FIA had initially accepted Andretti Global's proposal, but Formula 1 ultimately denied their bid to start racing in 2026. This led to Congress getting involved and demanding answers on why the application was rejected.

The conversation between Andretti and Maffei took place earlier this month during the Miami Grand Prix. The breakfast reception where the exchange occurred was held at the Palm Club and was by invitation only.

As the situation develops, the implications of this dispute between a former champion and the CEO of Liberty Media could have broader ramifications for the sport and its governance.

Key Takeaways

• Mario Andretti accuses Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei of blocking son Michael's F1 team.
• Maffei allegedly said he'd do everything to keep Michael out of F1.
• FIA initially accepted Andretti's proposal, but F1 ultimately denied their bid.
• Liberty Media source disputes Andretti's account, citing "good business reasons" for rejection.
• Dispute has broader implications for F1 governance and may involve Congressional inquiry.