30 January 2024 , 17:25
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Otmar Szafnauer has revealed talks with Michael Andretti over leading his new Formula 1 team - if given approval to join the grid.
Former F1 driver Andretti has already been granted FIA approval to set up what would be the sport's 11th team. However, he still has hoops through which he must jump before his outfit can begin racing.
F1 itself has the final say on whether or not a new team will be allowed. And most of the existing outfits are dead against the idea of adding another rival to the grid and having to split their profits 11 ways rather than 10.
Regardless of its lack of final approval, the Andretti project is pressing ahead with more than 120 staff in place and car parts being developed and manufactured. The hunt for a leader has also been going on for a while, it seems.
Speaking to Motor Sport Magazine, Szafnauer said he had been in contact with his fellow American for some time about possibly taking on the role. "I have had some discussions with Michael Andretti - he'd called me even before I went to Alpine and I told him I'd love to help him," he said.
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"They have to get the F1 entry first, because without an entry how can I help him? If they are accepted then I will be able to discuss getting involved, getting them started, getting them moving."
Szafnauer is currently a free agent having been axed by Alpine last year. The 59-year-old had been in the team principal job for just 18 months but he and long-serving sporting director Alan Permane left abruptly in July after disagreeing with the Renault board about how realistic the team's short-term goals were.
Before his time at Alpine, he was team boss at Aston Martin. He had been in that role for several years and joined the team at first in 2009, when it was branded as Force India. Szafnauer's experience is in helping teams to achieve things on comparatively modest budgets, compared to F1's top teams.
Meanwhile, Permane has already found a new role to get back into the F1 paddock. As announced on Monday, he has been hired as racing director for Red Bull's sister team - newly-rebranded as Visa Cash App RB - reporting directly to new team principal Laurent Mekies.
Permane said of his appointment: "After a few months of downtime, it's great to return to racing again with the Visa Cash App RB team. From long experience, I know how professional, driven and competitive the people within this race team are and I can't wait to see where that spirit can take the team in the future."