Ted Kravitz believes Horner has made ‘almost impossible’ demand of Andretti F1 team

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Sky Sports F1 journalist Ted Kravitz has shared one of the demands Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner has made of the proposed Andretti Formula 1 team.

Kravitz was speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast after the Qatar Grand Prix.

It was an incredibly intense event that pushed every driver to their limits.

Drivers were throwing up in their helmets, struggling to get out of their cars at the chequered flag or not reaching the end of the race altogether.

In the end, there was a familiar feel to the podium with Max Verstappen standing on the top spot after securing his third driver’s championship.

However, there was another story being discussed between the teams while the action was going on in Lusail.

Andretti Formula Racing had their application accepted by the FIA to become the 11^th team on the F1 grid.

While that’s brilliant news for the proposed American outfit, it’s not guaranteed that they’ll be joining the sport any time soon.

Ted Kravitz has shared what Red Bull chief Christian Horner has said Andretti need to do to get onto the grid.

It won’t be easy but would confirm that Andretti and their partners are serious about becoming a success in the sport.

Kravitz shares Horner’s demand on Andretti

Talking about the team’s route to joining the grid, Kravitz said: “You have teams laying down sort of various thoughts about how much they pay in anti-dilution fees.

“Williams was saying effectively they want to be properly recompensed for the money that they’ll lose.

“Christian Horner was saying if they come in they need to do their own engine, that’s almost asking the impossible but it’s underlying the commitment of General Motors and Cadillac.

“I think the teams want to know more from [Michael] Andretti as to the level of involvement of General Motors as a partner and Cadillac as a brand.

“Well if you are going to come in with General Motors, we want General Motors to be absolutely involved and that means like Ford with Red Bull powertrains, doing your own engine.

“If you are that’s an amazing thing to commit to, it’s a lot more money and facilities you’ll commit to, almost impossible, but very, very difficult.

“And then I think the strategy, the landscape will change and the feelings of the teams and Formula 1 towards Andretti will change if General Motors are going to say we’re going to put so much more money in that we’re actually going to make our own engine.”

Horner’s demand on Andretti to build their own engine as Kravitz suggests would be a huge undertaking.

Other teams on the grid currently use the same engine, with Alfa Romeo and Haas both using Ferrari power units for example.

Given Andretti could take money away from the other teams, they want assurances that they’re going to make a significant contribution to F1.

While it looks unlikely that they’ll be on the grid by 2025, their determination to be a Formula 1 is evident.

It may end up being slow progress but watching Andretti’s progression as they try and become the newest F1 team will undoubtedly be fascinating.