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Rocksuperstar

Isn't this fun? Isn't fun the best thing to have?
Jun 6, 2005
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Mario Andretti gets told no, so he does the most American thing possible and starts legal action.

Why the fuck can't American's just accept being told no? There were solid reasons given for denying him joining - the engine supplier, concerns over them not being competitive and the general Andretti benefiting from F1 but F1 getting practically nothing out of it etc. so instead of trying to address those issues - straight to court.

Hate this culture, it's embarrassing. America is embarrassing, what a horrible, entitled way to live your life.
 

Bluto Blutarsky

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2021
15,240
70,957
Has Andretti actually gone to court over this? I missed that.

I can sort of see F1s position - adding an 11th team means splitting the pie more ways instead of expanding the pie. But, the other reasons to pass the smell test with 9 teams not been able to compete for a win, and half the field currently unable to consistently score points. You can’t tell me that Williams, Haas, or Alpine are significantly better than a startup team this year. And Red Bull having two teams is a bit farcical.

Having said all that, if Andretti wants in F1, he could find backers and buy out an existing team.
 

Yid-ol

Just-outside Edinburgh
Jan 16, 2006
31,183
19,429
Mario Andretti gets told no, so he does the most American thing possible and starts legal action.

Why the fuck can't American's just accept being told no? There were solid reasons given for denying him joining - the engine supplier, concerns over them not being competitive and the general Andretti benefiting from F1 but F1 getting practically nothing out of it etc. so instead of trying to address those issues - straight to court.

Hate this culture, it's embarrassing. America is embarrassing, what a horrible, entitled way to live your life.

The 'concerns over them not being competitive' is a cop out excuse. If that's the line they use then most teams should be kicked out as none are competitive compared to red bull.

There are one or two teams at the back of the grid that would probably be no worse I would guess, but that's the issue with that comment, no one knows if they would or not.

The financial issue I can get, but again that locks only the teams in there as the only teams.

I think the only valid issue was the engines, they were to have their own? But said they wouldn't be ready in time so would have to use others in mean time (I think that was the case) so yeah, they should just sort that out and get the engine ready in time and then try again, all the other points I can see why they would argue against them.
 

Dunc2610

Well-Known Member
Aug 7, 2008
1,607
4,022
Given there are a number of uncompetitive teams sharing the 'pie', why would any of those teams, never mind the bigger teams want to split that pie further, teams like Williams struggle as it is. Let alone having to fight with another team for slim pickings. I get it, and I get why, if you want in, take over a struggling g team (like Audi will do), put in the money and bring something to the table rather than take from others.
 

Rocksuperstar

Isn't this fun? Isn't fun the best thing to have?
Jun 6, 2005
53,394
67,057
Ultimately, it's not a public service. It's a private competition so they could technically just turn them down cos they don't like his face, they don't need a reason.

Americans seem to feel that they can barge themselves wherever they want and if they get denied they go to court, it's absurd. The FIA should just keep saying thanks but no thanks and move on to the next applicant.
 

yankspurs

Enic Out
Aug 22, 2013
41,986
71,403
Mario Andretti gets told no, so he does the most American thing possible and starts legal action.

Why the fuck can't American's just accept being told no? There were solid reasons given for denying him joining - the engine supplier, concerns over them not being competitive and the general Andretti benefiting from F1 but F1 getting practically nothing out of it etc. so instead of trying to address those issues - straight to court.

Hate this culture, it's embarrassing. America is embarrassing, what a horrible, entitled way to live your life.
He didnt start any type of legal action. Congress sent a letter to F1's owners, Liberty Media. If they were prompted, who knows. But congress doesnt equal legal action.
 

Rocksuperstar

Isn't this fun? Isn't fun the best thing to have?
Jun 6, 2005
53,394
67,057
He didnt start any type of legal action. Congress sent a letter to F1's owners, Liberty Media. If they were prompted, who knows. But congress doesnt equal legal action.

My point still stands - "no thanks" is a perfectly acceptable answer. Congress have no business whatsoever in this and I hate the entitled culture where someone rich or famous or influential in any way gets their panties in a bunch over being told no, they start taking legal or political routes to try and force the other party to budge.

But lets say there is a place where you can cry harder and get your way - Why is Andretti SO desperate to join F1? What could he possibly lean on as a valid reason for them saying no is so unfair that he can force them to admit him and his team?

It's all bullshit, he got told no. Grow up, Mario, you're a big lad.
 

yankspurs

Enic Out
Aug 22, 2013
41,986
71,403
My point still stands - "no thanks" is a perfectly acceptable answer. Congress have no business whatsoever in this and I hate the entitled culture where someone rich or famous or influential in any way gets their panties in a bunch over being told no, they start taking legal or political routes to try and force the other party to budge.

But lets say there is a place where you can cry harder and get your way - Why is Andretti SO desperate to join F1? What could he possibly lean on as a valid reason for them saying no is so unfair that he can force them to admit him and his team?

It's all bullshit, he got told no. Grow up, Mario, you're a big lad.
But by that same token, there was no valid reason to reject him. Works both ways in this case. Andretti is wrong for going to congress(if he did) & F1 was wrong to reject him in the first place & then try to change rules to gate keep him out.
 

Rocksuperstar

Isn't this fun? Isn't fun the best thing to have?
Jun 6, 2005
53,394
67,057
But by that same token, there was no valid reason to reject him. Works both ways in this case. Andretti is wrong for going to congress(if he did) & F1 was wrong to reject him in the first place & then try to change rules to gate keep him out.

But it doesn't work both ways. "I want to come and play your game with you all", "no, we're good thanks" - it's their competition, it's their organisation, they don't need a reason to turn someone down but they gave one. As far as I'm aware, he's got no solution to the engine supplier and hasn't responded to their question about what he'd actually bring the F1.

Yes, there are some janky teams in there right now but they've already been accepted, they're already involved but I'm sure that if they didn't meet the minimum and F1 had a better offer from another team then culling would be on the books but, until then, it's up to them who they let play... them and the sponsors, obviously.

Pretty sure if Andretti had a heavyweight sponsor in tow then he'd have leverage - if a kid turns up to you and your mates having a kickabout with a better ball, of course you let them play, but equally, if you know that their parents are rich and they have cornettos in their freezer, you might be convinced...
 

yankspurs

Enic Out
Aug 22, 2013
41,986
71,403
But it doesn't work both ways. "I want to come and play your game with you all", "no, we're good thanks" - it's their competition, it's their organisation, they don't need a reason to turn someone down but they gave one. As far as I'm aware, he's got no solution to the engine supplier and hasn't responded to their question about what he'd actually bring the F1.

Yes, there are some janky teams in there right now but they've already been accepted, they're already involved but I'm sure that if they didn't meet the minimum and F1 had a better offer from another team then culling would be on the books but, until then, it's up to them who they let play... them and the sponsors, obviously.

Pretty sure if Andretti had a heavyweight sponsor in tow then he'd have leverage - if a kid turns up to you and your mates having a kickabout with a better ball, of course you let them play, but equally, if you know that their parents are rich and they have cornettos in their freezer, you might be convinced...
He had the 1 manufacturer F1 has been DYING for
 

Rocksuperstar

Isn't this fun? Isn't fun the best thing to have?
Jun 6, 2005
53,394
67,057
He had the 1 manufacturer F1 has been DYING for

But they can't be bent over a barrel by one manufacturer, they fall into that trap every few years and end up fawning over one car or another (honestly, I think the favor shown toward Max, and before that Lewis, is 90% the team and how much sway they have off of the track). Red Bull at the moment, before that it was Mercedes, before that McLaren, Williams, Ferrari - they've all had their moment in the sun and the F1 bods treating them like motor-racing jesus, but there's a lot more investors now, especially across the middle east.

Like I say though, it's not a public thing, it hasn't been framed as a personal issue, so if the heads at F1 say no then +shrug+ Have to accept it, imo. Congress getting involved his mental, what are they going to do? Strong arm the FIA in some way?

"Why won't you let Mario join your game?", "Piss off, nothing to do with you" is as far as that conversation should really go. Don't Congress have more important things to be dealing with anyway?
 
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