Mathieu WARNIER, Media365, published on Sunday February 20, 2022 at 12:55 p.m.
Mario Andretti has confirmed his son’s intentions to set up a new Formula 1 team for 2024 and assures that paying the 200 million dollars to enter the discipline will not be a problem.
The Andretti family is not kidding. This Friday, the former F1 world champion Mario Andretti lifted the veil on the projects of his son, who sent the FIA an application file to hire an eleventh team in Formula 1 from the 2024 season. Michael Andretti refused to give more details on this desire to expand his activities in motorsport, his father gave a long interview to the American specialized site Racer in which he confirms that the project to set up a stable from scratch is “plan B”. This follows the failure of negotiations with the owners of Sauber, engaged in the discipline under the colors of the Italian brand Alfa Romeo. “He has a few people behind him who are there for the long term and who are reliable, and everyone has the same feeling, a very positive feeling about getting into something like this,” Mario said. Andretti.
The Andretti family very serious in their ambitions
Presenting Formula 1 as “the ultimate goal”, the former winner of the Indianapolis 500 Miles says his son Michael Andretti will be committed “for the long term”. “He’s young enough to be there for a very long time. From my point of view and to be honest with you, seeing all this happen is really what keeps me going, adds Mario Andretti. He has some very interesting and powerful individuals who are ready to join him as soon as it becomes official, to guide him and get involved in the start-up. I can’t mention those people now, but he did what he had to do. A project which is now in the hands of the FIA and which has benefited from the support of Bernie Ecclestone. “I think right now it’s all about getting the approval from the teams. There are several steps to take, admits the former driver. I was in contact with Bernie Ecclestone, we both spoke and I also received a lot of advice. He is the one who put in place a large part of these rules. »
The 200 million dollars, not a problem!
But, before entering the starting grid, the Andretti will have to pay an entry fee of 200 million dollars… and this will not be an obstacle for them. “As I said, we’re going into this with clarity and we know the prerequisites,” says Mario Andretti. I don’t believe that Michael is asking for special favors: we have to comply with what is asked and continue. It’s both simple and complicated, but we know what we’re getting into. “An arrival in F1 that the former world champion ensures to be accompanied by the establishment of a sector with teams in F2 and F3. “It’s very long-term planning,” says Mario Andretti. And how many Formula 1 teams do that? Not a lot. As for future drivers, Michael Andretti will have to come to terms with his father’s wishes. “One driver you can count on is Colton Herta, who I really want to see in one of our cars,” he said. Otherwise, Michael will hear about me! It is now up to the FIA to decide.
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