“Cannot Find a Cheap Way”: Andretti’s Persistent F1 Complaints Shunned With Stern Comeback

Currently, the United States is an enormous market for Liberty Media and Formula 1. Thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive and the commercialization of the sport, a Grand Prix in the US is highly anticipated all over the world. Case in point, there are three races scheduled in the country from 2023.

Despite that, the representation of a vast country like the US in F1 is minimal. Haas F1 is the only team based from there, but they also use Ferrari engines for their car. Recently, Michael Andretti, who owns the Andretti Autosport, has also been looking to enter the arguably closed market of F1.

So, there are undoubtedly plenty of opportunities for a US-based team to enter the world of F1. Popular reporter, Joe Saward, has stated a solution for this.

Joe Saward breaks down how Andretti can join F1

Stellantis is a popular Italian-American automotive corporation. How are they related to F1? Well, up step Alfa Romeo. The historic Italian company is a subsidiary of Stellantis, but they currently use a Ferrari engine. So, according to Saward, it makes sense for the parent company, Stellantis, to invest in an engine based on their company.

Dodge, the popular automobile company from the US, is also owned by Stellantis. So, Saward here presents the solution to improve American representation. Moreover, Andretti, who has been vocal about his F1 plans, could get an approval from the FIA if he plans to merge with an American engine manufacturer. For Andretti, it could also reduce the amount of money needed to invest.

In his blog, Saward wrote, “Why not have a Dodge F1 engine alongside an Alfa Romeo or even a Peugeot? If the brands share the cost, it is really not a big deal and Dodge could be portrayed as an American team, which might stop Michael Andretti saying silly things about F1 in interviews because at the moment he cannot find a cheap way into the game.

READ MORE: Andretti Faces Major Roadblock as F1 Teams Put Forward This Engine Demand

If he turned up and promised to deliver an Andretti-Dodge F1 car, F1 might be more interested in having him aboard.”

Does Dodge-Andretti link up make sense?

Andretti came close to buy the majority stake in the Sauber Group, but the negotiations did not materialize. While few teams have supported his desire to join F1, most of the teams and the FIA have not given the backing so far.

“We want to be an American team that wants to develop American drivers for the future,” Andretti said. “There’s nobody out there that’s doing that. That’s where we want to be.”

Dodge, meanwhile, could present an opportunity for Andretti. They are a highly respected American brand, and as an engine partner, it could reduce the burden on his company in terms of cost.

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Dodge has always been known as a muscle car and they build some of the coolest cars on the roads. But times are changing, electric cars and hybrids are taking over, so it is arguably time for them to join Formula E or F1.

They need to keep up with their competitors and F1 presents an opportunity. While this is just a suggestion from Joe Saward, it will be interesting to see how this pans out.