Rejecting Andretti’s Entry, Frederic Vasseur Calls for American Drivers to Change the Face of F1

Like a dog with a bone, we have seen Andretti Autosport try different ways of entering the elite F1 circle for quite a few years now. The American racing giants attempted a big leap forward with the FIA accepting their bid. However, Formula One Management (FOM) still holds the final say and so far, it’s a no. This also includes all the teams on the grid and the bosses.

For a variety of reasons, the teams have opposed the entry of a new team in the sport. The biggest concern of the team bosses was the dilution of funds, which wouldn’t be offset despite the $200 million entry fee. However, Ferrari‘s team principal Frederic Vasseur gave a new perspective on the Andretti debate.

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur gives a fresh perspective to quash Andretti’s F1 dream

Frederic Vasseur is among the many opposing an additional team on the grid. The Frenchman, similar to the rest, wouldn’t want more dilution of funds. However, speaking to Motorsport, when asked about the 11th team on the grid, he completely dismissed the need for another team to cater to the American audience and shifted the focus to a driver.

He said, “It depends on which team is the 11th. On paper, there is always room for an 11th team if the teams receive something from Formula 1. We talked about the provenance of the team, but for me, it is not the right approach to the matter. F1 is successful where there are winning drivers. Currently one of the countries where F1 gets the most attention is the Netherlands because Verstappen is there.” (Translated via Google) 

“It’s a question of the nationality of the drivers, not of the teams. Currently, we already have an American team, which is Haas, and if we are talking about Andretti, I imagine that he will come with the same approach as Haas. If we really want to be successful in the United States, it will be more a question of having American drivers at the start and being successful, rather than having American teams,” he concluded.

Read More: Andretti Lands in Hot Water as F1 Faces Calls to Avoid ‘Emotionally’ Letting In Legacy Teams

Perhaps there is some truth in Vasseur’s suggestion, as ever since Sebastian Vettel stepped away from the limelight, the German GP has become a thing of the past. The drivers are stars of the show and no one can deny that. However, Logan Sargeant’s season might give the Andrettis a push in the right direction.

Logan Sargeant’s rookie season might nudge the F1 doors open for Andretti

Sargeant’s inclusion in the 2023 season became one of the biggest headlines in the preseason because he was the first American to join the circus since 2015. The American rookie had a lot of expectations on his shoulders, especially because of the sport’s skyrocketing popularity. However, Sargeant still needs time to mature and prove his worth in F1 and impress the American audience.

Although the disappointing rookie season might help Andretti’s chances in the sport for the sheer purpose of serving as a focal point for the American fans. The host on the VF1 podcast highlighted this scenario and said, “If we are talking about the Americas and the United States specifically, we learnt quickly that the Logan Sargeant experiment, it was not going to do much by way of increasing Americans’ caring about the sport at all. He’s not performing at a level that makes Americans want to care.”

This led them to believe, “But I will say Andretti has an opportunity to really make a difference from their operations to their history and legacy.” 

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The rookie American loss might be Andretti’s gain. However, we won’t know for sure until he gets the go-ahead from FOM, which seems to be the biggest obstacle in their F1 dream.