Mario Andretti reveals brutal put-down made by Liberty Media CEO

Maffei does not want Andretti to have it

In an exclusive interview with NBC News, the former world champion says that during the Miami Grand Prix, Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, owners of Formula 1, personally approached him.

According to Andretti, this happened during a breakfast reception. The American was talking to Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali about his visit to Washington, where he had been invited to speak outside the Capitol about his son's application to become the 11th team. "I was asked to go there. And just as I was trying to explain that to Stefano, Greg Maffei interrupted the conversation and said, 'Mario, I want to tell you that I will do everything I can to make sure Michael never gets into Formula One.'"

"I couldn't believe it," Andretti says. "I was really perplexed. We're talking about business. I didn't know it was something so personal. It was like a bullet through my heart."

According to an anonymous source close to Maffei, the conversation went very differently. "Andretti approached Greg during breakfast to talk to him." The source adds that Maffei told him that Andretti's bid had been rejected due to business reasons. But according to Andretti, this is not true. " I didn't start the conversation," says the American.

With an escalating situation, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission are now also being called upon to look into the situation. According to Andretti, it is clear. "We are bringing something of value. It is a big investment in the sport we love or the sport that is our job and our passion. It is a long-term commitment. We have done everything that needed to be done to earn a place in Formula 1. What more do you want us to do?"

This article was written in collaboration with Ben Stevens