CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A year ago, Michael Andretti was advocating for a Formula 1 team at the Circuit of the Americas. As F1 makes its return to Texas this week, the situation surrounding Andretti has taken a dramatic turn, with his departure from racing raising questions regarding the future of the second American F1 team he had sought so fervently.
Currently, motorsport in the United States is rife with developments. This week marks the second of three Formula 1 visits, while NASCAR embarks on the playoff series filled with various off-track controversies. Meanwhile, the IndyCar series is striving for a stable off-season, looking for progress under the guidance of owner Roger Penske. To summarize the current scenario: Michael Jordan has initiated legal action against NASCAR, with a court date slated for the week of the championship finale. NASCAR’s officiating practices have faced scrutiny lately, highlighted by Alex Bowman’s disqualification from Sunday’s race due to a post-race decision that eliminated him from playoff contention.
In a busy weekend for Penske, his team clinched the IMSA sports car championship, with the WEC title also within reach. Notably, two of his NASCAR drivers, reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano, are still in contention for the NASCAR championship. This is occurring after a challenging year for IndyCar, which is gearing up for a partnership with Fox Sports, a new race in Arlington, Texas for 2026 in collaboration with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and the expected announcement of a race in Mexico City.
Additionally, motorsports has woven itself into the political dialogue of the U.S. Kamala Harris has declared her admiration for F1 star Lewis Hamilton, while JD Vance attended a NASCAR playoff event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Furthermore, former racer Danica Patrick, at 42 years old, acknowledged her change in politics during a discussion with Vance, stating that she has never voted before but plans to this year as she looks for new avenues to explore after her racing career.
As for F1 at COTA, it marks its second U.S. stop of the season, with McLaren, a beloved team in IndyCar, currently catching the spotlight. McLaren has overtaken Red Bull for the lucrative constructor’s title, and Lando Norris may have potential for the driver’s championship, especially considering some misfortunes faced by Max Verstappen. In contrast, Haas, the only American team in the series, recently announced a partnership with Toyota, returning to F1 after 15 years. However, Texas won’t see any American drivers, as Williams dismissed Logan Sargeant earlier this year, who subsequently attended the IndyCar season finale in search of new opportunities.
Michael Andretti seems unlikely to appear at COTA this weekend after stepping away from the team and transitioning control to his partner Dan Towriss. Both Andretti and Towriss mentioned that the decision was made by the 62-year-old to shift his focus away from Andretti Global. This decision is perplexing since Andretti dedicated the past three years advocating for an F1 team. After F1’s rejection, which he criticized, stating that his last name didn’t resonate as significant enough with F1 officials, Andretti promised to persist in his endeavor. Presently, the Justice Department is investigating Liberty Media Corp, the rights holder for F1, over potential antitrust law violations related to Andretti’s application, while Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont is seeking an investigation into potential monopolistic practices by Liberty Media.
Andretti has also had his differences with Penske, earlier this season urging Penske to sell IndyCar if insufficient financial commitment was made towards its growth. As the season concludes, 87-year-old Penske still maintains ownership of IndyCar, while Andretti finds himself uncertain about his future racing engagements.
In NASCAR, the current state feels unusually tense at a time that should embody playoff excitement. Instead, the notable conflict and lawsuit between NASCAR and teams 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports concerning charters have taken center stage. Jordan, who co-owns 23XI Racing alongside seasoned driver Denny Hamlin, remains firm, joined by Front Row owner Bob Jenkins. A significant hearing is on the horizon for November 4, just before the championship finale week.
The last month of the season also faces challenges beyond legal disputes. The inconsistency in officiating has drawn criticism, particularly after a caution was issued just before Parker Kligerman would have achieved his first career victory in the Xfinity Series. Bowman’s disqualification due to a rule violation eliminated him from playoff contention.
Moreover, there are growing allegations of misconduct within the Cup Series, with reports of an engineer from one team accused of misappropriating proprietary information to share with a competing team. NASCAR has confirmed it is aware of the allegations but noted that neither party has officially filed a complaint.
As both F1 and NASCAR approach critical phases in their respective seasons, they may have to navigate the spotlight shared with their own off-track issues.