The name Andretti is lurking in the background of Formula 1 at the moment, waiting for their opportunity to pounce.
The team are continuing to invest in their infrastructure in the UK to prove to the sport that they’re ready to be the 11 team on the grid.
Andretti had their application rejected at the beginning of the year to be Formula 1’s next team despite FIA President Muhammed Ben Sulayem pressuring the sport to let them in last year, via The Race.
However, the sport said no and Ben Sulayem then changed his tune, advising the American outfit to buy one of the existing 10 teams on the grid, via Autosport.
Speaking on The Race Podcast, journalist Edd Straw has shared that Andretti currently have no interest in buying Alpine to make their way onto the grid.
The French team are in a fascinating position off the back of their two most impressive weekends of the season.
That doesn’t mean things are rosy off the track and although they’ve made a headline signing in the form of Flavio Briatore, everything might not be going to plan at the £1.1bn-valued F1 team, according to Forbes.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Andretti have absolutely no interest in buying Alpine Formula 1 team
Talking about the future of Alpine, Straw said: “For everybody working hard at Enstone and also at Viry on the engine side because it’s the two sides of the same coin on that team, they deserve to have a good run at it and really fulfil their potential because there are some great people there.
“I wouldn’t be surprised [if Alpine were sold] but there are other things he’s [Flavio Briatore] going to do, Concorde Agreement stuff, driver stuff, big strategic stuff.”
His colleague Ben Anderson asked: “Who could he sell it to though?”
Straw replied: “There’s loads of people out there. Well Andretti, but as I understand it, Andretti are an absolute hard no on trying to buy Alpine at the moment.
“It could change, who knows, but there are…I mean every team who could be for sale has multiple people who have enquired, ostensibly serious people when it comes to parting company with the kind of money that these teams are worth.”
READ MORE: Who is Flavio Briatore? Everything you need to know about Alpine’s F1 executive adviser
Alpine’s future in F1 questioned with Renault engine deal in doubt
Very few people would have expected to see Briatore back in the paddock working for Renault at the beginning of the year.
However, he’s already making moves with his position in the team linked to a late bid for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for next year.
Renault currently exclusively make Alpine’s power units which is the reason why the relatively small car brand is a works team on the grid.
However, there are talks that Renault may pull the plug on the project, with Alpine’s preferred new power unit supplier already suggested.
David Croft has already said that he’s heard Renault may not have done the best job with their 2026 engine prototype.
This leaves Alpine in a tough spot, but their commitment to the sport can’t be completely questioned yet.
Briatore has also been brought in to sound out whether Adrian Newey would be interested in joining the team which would be a huge coup and a signal that they’re not done yet.
Andretti, meanwhile, appear to be solely focused on joining the paddock rather than taking up an existing slot.
That doesn’t look straightforward at this stage but anything can happen in the piranha club.
The post ‘As I understand it’: Journalist says Andretti are an ‘absolute hard no’ on buying £1.1bn F1 team appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
