What is behind the Sauber-Alfa Romeo split with Andretti?
F1 News
- GPblog.com
The rumour mill surrounding Andretti Autosport's alleged takeover of Alfa Romeo has been in full swing for the past few weeks, but the deal now appears to have been definitively dropped. According to reports, the parties could not agree on the price tag, but according to the Italian branch of Motorsport.com, there is more behind the split.
Finn Rausing, owner of Alfa Romeo, could not reach an agreement with Michael Andretti about the possible sale of the team. Apart from economic reasons, there would have been additional demands attached to the deal which Andretti did not agree with.
Additional requirements for taking over Alfa Romeo
Rausing would demand guarantees for the future, not only for the Formula 1 team but for the entire Sauber Group, the organization that runs the Alfa Romeo F1 team. What exactly these guarantees are is not known, but there is a possibility that talks have stalled because Andretti's interest was limited to Formula One. Rausing wants to avoid the deal being detrimental to Sauber in the long run.
The rift between the two parties puts an abrupt end to Colton Herta's chances in Formula 1. The deal already seemed to be done so far that Herta has already made virtual kilometers in the simulator in Hinwil. He was also supposed to take part in the first free practice in Austin instead of Kimi Raikkonen, but that didn't happen.
Who else has a chance for the second seat at Alfa Romeo?
Sauber will therefore continue with its current corporate structure for the time being. The big question now is who will be the second driver next to Valtteri Bottas. Herta can be crossed out after the failed Andretti deal, so who is left?
There have been rumours about Guanyu Zhou, who would be the favourite candidate for the last remaining Formula 1 seat. However, Antonio Giovinazzi would also still have a chance to keep his seat. Oscar Piastri is also a possibility, although it seems unlikely that it will be him. The decision will reportedly be made somewhere around the Brazilian Grand Prix.