Steiner explains FOM's view over Andretti's F1 bid: 'door is not shut'
F1 News
Former Haas team principal Gunther Steiner knows better than anyone the process of bringing a new Formula 1 team to the grid. He failed with US F1 team, before successfully getting into the sport with Gene Haas. Speaking on the Formula for Success podcast with David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan, Steiner defends Formula One Management's decision to block Andretti from joining as the sports 11th team.
Steiner has been busy on podcasts recently and sent a warning to Micheal Andretti on The Red Flags podcast over the way Andretti and his team are going about their bid to join the grid. When asked about Andretti's situation by Eddie Jordan, Steiner believes that FOM are simply protecting the wellbeing of the current 10 teams by blocking the American's bid.
Jordan proposed an idea to Steiner, that his former team Haas could join forces with Andretti and General Motors, but Steiner was quick to shut down the idea. "I don't know about that one, to pull them together".
Steiner then reflects on his period in the sport, discussing the money side of the potential reason behind Andretti''s denial. "We all have been there in the tough times where it was difficult to bring 10 teams to the grid because there was not enough money around to go around. I think F1 is just protecting the well-being of the 10 existing teams. That is how I see it."
Steiner: "They left it open"
Steiner also makes the point that Formula 1 haven't completely shut the door on Andretti, who have already opened a new Silverstone facility where they would run their F1 operation out of. "F1 hasn't closed the doors on Andretti, they said in 28, when GM is ready, come back, the door is not shut, they left it open, they didn't lock it. So I think sometimes you need to be patient. When I went out to find an investor, it took me three years to find somebody."
"You keep on lobbying, you keep on trying to do your best and you get there. And maybe that is what they need to do at the moment."
Jordan, a former team owner himself, believes that F1 and the current ten teams are 'greedy' for shutting out Andretti, and was strong in his opinion that the American should be allowed the join the paddock.