F1 Boss Shuts the Door on NASCAR Legend’s Dream Leaving the American Hero Rejected NASCAR's racing figure faces unexpected resistance at Formula 1’s highest level, as leadership questions long

When Mario Andretti rolled into the Daytona infield in February 1967, the lanky American, who had already made a name in Indy cars and sports cars, stunned NASCAR by winning the Daytona 500. Andretti’s flirtations with stock cars were never a full-time detour as he ran only a handful of NASCAR starts with outfits like Holman-Moody, but those flashes, plus invitational runs in IROC and close friendships with names like Parnelli Jones, proved throughline: the Andrettis would not be boxed into one form of racing. This appetite to cross series and chase the ultimate stage explains why the Andretti name would later press so hard to break into Formula 1.

The Andretti push for F1 unfolded as a drama of approvals, commercial tests, and blunt assessments about competitiveness. The Andretti bid was