Mario Andretti has said that Andretti Autosport is "trying to tick every box in front of us" in its bid to join the Formula 1 grid by 2026.
The company announced that it would be teaming up with General Motors through their Cadillac brand. One of the largest carmakers in the world, it will also be the first time that GM has competed in F1, something that excites Andretti.
"I'm just delighted that it came to this point, no question, because I think the partnership with General Motors is fantastic, certainly for us and I hope it is for them," he said at the Consumer Electronics Show.
"The fact that General Motors for the very first time will be entering Formula 1, it's a great thing for the sport."
Andretti first notified the world about their intentions to race in F1 last year on social media, confirming that his son Michael Andretti had applied to race in 2024.
He explained: "We've been at this for almost a year now - this movement that started in February of last year. We've been trying to check every box that they've put in front of us. Some people have been very helpful, others not."
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Andretti: We're not starting from scratch
While Andretti also compete in other championships such as IndyCar, the Road to Indy series and Extreme E, Mario Andretti he admits that they have people "standing by" for their F1 effort.
"It's a matter of formality now," he said. "General Motors is with us for the future, that's done. It's established. It's official.
"We have so many people standing by - good people, experienced - but many don't want to leave the job they have unless we have something for sure.
"We've been doing a lot of work to prepare as if we had the permission already. So, we're not starting from scratch."
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Video: How expensive is champagne in F1?
Although champagne has not been exclusively used on the podium, with F1 recently moving back to using sparkling wine, it forms a key part of post-race celebrations.
But what are the origins of this world-famous tradition? And with so many litres of this luxury drink sprayed throughout the season, how much money does such a champagne shower actually cost?
Check out our handy explainer video below.