Eddie Jordan convinced that a brand new Formula 1 team will be on the grid in 2026

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Formula 1 has seen 10 teams and 20 drivers take to the grid every weekend since the beginning of the 2017 season.

Manor Racing dropped out of the sport at the end of 2016 which happened to be the year the last team managed to join Formula 1 when Haas scored points on their debut in Australia.

Since then, that number has been kept consistent, albeit occasionally a race will happen where not every driver makes it onto the grid, as Alex Albon and Lance Stroll discovered at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

However, there have been several attempts since then to join a sport which is rapidly becoming more and more lucrative.

Teams want to change the Concorde Agreement to make entry into Formula 1 much more expensive than it is now, although that’s unlikely to be a problem for those bidding to enter cars number 21 and 22 on the grid.

Eddie Jordan was speaking on the Formula For Success Podcast and made a bold prediction about the 2026 season.

Audi will be the newest entry in F1 that year when the regulations change, but they will be taking over the existing Sauber outfit.

Qatar is set to partially take over Audi to give the team additional funding and highlight just how lucrative being a part of Formula 1 now is.

However, Jordan believes that Andretti is certain to be the 11th team in F1 that year and they’re already making plans to be on the grid.

Eddie Jordan certain that Andretti will be racing in Formula 1 in 2026

Andretti were initially granted entry into F1 at the beginning of the year by the FIA.

That should have been the first step towards the iconic American outfit entering the paddock.

However, Formula One Management – in association with the teams – ultimately rejected their entry, although work is continuing at their new facility near Silverstone.

READ MORE: Andretti may join F1 if Liberty Media agrees one thing with ‘no reason’ to block 11th team

Andretti are still spending vast sums on their F1 project, even if they have no guarantees that their entry will eventually be accepted.

Talking about the situation as a former team owner who has gone through the process, Jordan said: “Andretti, see how tough the Americans are going to be with Formula 1 with regard to Andretti.

“And now I want you in a year’s time to come back to me and say, s—, I never saw that coming. I didn’t think they’d get the entry.

“I’m telling you now, they will be on the grid in 2026. Next.”

Andretti looking to capitalise on America’s growing interest in Formula 1

Haas are currently the only American team on the grid and while they do have a base in Kannapolis, North Carolina, a lot of the work they do takes place in Banbury or their design office in Maranello.

While Andretti have also built a dedicated factory for their F1 project in the UK, they would be an immediately recognisable name for American fans to get behind.

READ MORE: Andretti’s ‘beneficial position’ for developing 2026 car compared to current F1 teams

With three races now on American soil, Liberty Media should be pushing for a homegrown team to get behind and given Andretti’s history in Formula 1 – Mario Andretti won the 1978 championship – they should have been right at home on the grid.

However, all 10 teams believe it’s in their best interests to run a closed shop.

It prevents the prize pot – which continues to grow due to the additional popularity of the sport – from being diluted, even if Andretti could give F1 another big push in one of its most lucrative markets.