03/06/2024
NEWS STORY
Ford motorsport boss, Mark Rushbrook has said he would be delighted to see fellow American manufacturer General Motors in F1.
The Blue Oval of Ford returns to the sport in 2026 when it partners with Red Bull, while General Motors (GM) is the engine partner of Andretti, which, having been refused entry in 2026, might be accepted in 2028.
However, while F1 bosses and the teams - and now the FIA - don't want Andretti in F1 yet, they have made it clear that they would welcome GM, which has never before been involved in F1, as a manufacturer in its own right.
Ford, whose Mustang brand currently battles GM's Chevrolet in NASCAR, would welcome a similar fight in F1.
"We go racing to compete against other manufacturers," Rushbrook tells the Associated Press, "and there's already a lot of manufacturers in F1.
"We'd certainly love to welcome General Motors into the sport," he adds. "They have that ability to come in as a power unit manufacturer independent of any specific team.
"They could partner with any of the existing ten teams," he helpfully suggests, echoing the thoughts of F1 bosses and the teams, "so we'd welcome them for sure.
"And the same for Andretti," he adds, "we certainly don't have anything against Andretti."
In response, taking to social media, Rushbrook's opposite number at GM, Mark Reuss suggested that the Blue Oval might care to try its luck in taking on his company in IndyCar.
"Thank you Mark Rushbrook... and we would welcome Ford to IndyCar for enhancing American open-wheel racing as well," he wrote.