EXCLUSIVE: Mario Andretti on Andretti F1 game plan

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emailBy Chris Medland | February 19, 2022 12:05 PM ET

In terms of drivers, Colton Herta was lined up if the Sauber takeover happened, is it still an ambition to take some of the young American talents that you guys help nurture across to F1?

“Absolutely. Michael is a great believer of that, cultivating talent. He’s done that in the Indy series, bringing them through Indy Lights and all of those farm programs. That’s another thing — you don’t want to put the cart before the horse but he says once we’re in there in the series, he says we’re going to field a Formula 2 and Formula 3 team. This is long, long, long-term planning. And how many Formula 1 teams do that? Not too many. But they will and that’s what Michael has done. How many teams in IndyCar are doing that? Not too many, but Michael is doing it. That’s his way of going about it, but he’s all-in in this sport. He has big plans for the future, for as long as he is able to participate in this sport. He’s young enough so I think it’s individuals like Michael who can provide stability in this sport, because like I say we don’t come and go. It’s all we do, it’s all we know.”
An American F1 car with an American F1 driver, like Mario Andretti here in a Parnelli-Ford at the 1976 USGP at Long Beach, hasn’t been seen in a long time, but the Andrettis plan to change that. Motorsport Images

Q: Does the timing feel right because of the extra interest in F1 in the U.S. and the fact that maybe that will help get partners on board and get brands to work with you to make this a reality?

“That’s huge, exactly. That plays all the way around. I think it’s got to be adding some interest too as far as the fanbase with more races, two races now in the U.S. and to have another U.S. team in Formula 1…

“And then the important thing to also have — he’s going to definitely start with at least one American driver, which more than likely is going to be Colton. I’d put my money on that kid any day, I just feel that he’s something very special and it’s not just words, he’s proving it and it’s fun to watch him doing his things. Michael has been able to be part of that, cultivated him right from the beginning when he came out of Europe in Formula 4 when he drove alongside people like Lando Norris. People like that know him, so he has a great feel for these things.

“And look what he’s done so far in the IndyCar Series. Already won six races, pole positions against the best that IndyCar has got to offer, so don’t take that lightly. That’s pure talent, because everybody in IndyCar has the same equipment, basically, so the onus is a lot more on the driver. It would be lovely to see an American that really wants to be there and he’s one of them.

“Michael can provide that vehicle unless he gets an opportunity sooner, and Michael would let him go. But he’s one, and Michael will arm himself with at least one American driver, maybe two. But it’s going to be at least one, and that’s important. It’s been a long time since we had an American driver in F1.

“It all plays. With the Netflix (“Drive To Survive”) show that’s been floating around for a couple of years now, I think that has awakened a lot of the fanbase here but also cultivated some new fanbase — we’ve seen that. Look at the crowd they had at COTA for the weekend, that was really unbelievable. So that’s it, all of it is coming together I think. Formula 1 is in a good place and you want to be part of it.”

Q: I spoke to Colton after he won at Daytona and he mentioned there are still opportunities in F1 — now I know what he was on about!

“The kid is for real. I know what I’m talking about, I know when I see something. I said the same thing about Max (Verstappen) when I first saw him. I said the same thing about Sebastian Vettel when he won Monza with Toro Rosso and things like that — I’ve been around long enough to see these things and I haven’t been wrong yet!”

So 2024 is the target, can you speak about engine suppliers or partners yet?

“2024 is the target, yes. Partners is something that Michael will have to divulge when everything is official, so I think those are news that are part of his department, not mine, otherwise he would fire me I think. He knows I can’t keep too many secrets so he says, ‘OK go with it!’ He knows me better than that.” My boy's never going to get so big that I can't whip his butt.