Recent criticism of Formula 1 from the Andretti’s is “not constructive” to getting a place on the grid, Haas chief Guenther Steiner has warned.
Led by former McLaren driver Michael, Andretti wants to join as the 11th team in F1 in 2024. But despite submitting the required application to the FIA back in February, the response since has been mixed.
Andretti has support from the likes of McLaren and Red Bull, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has been one of the bigger sceptics, airing concerns that an 11th team would dilute revenue payments made to the current teams by F1 owners Liberty Media.
Therefore, though any new team would have to pay roughly $200m as an anti-dilution measure, the Austrian argues it should be up to that new entrant to also prove they can add value to the sport both competitively and financially in the medium and long-term.
“Toto Wolff has spoken very openly about our credibility,” Michael’s father and 1978 F1 champion Mario Andretti told Auto Motor und Sport. “However, he speaks to me in a different way.
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“I find the criticism very disrespectful because we have been active in motorsport much longer than he has. I respect his success so far, but he has no reason to look down on us.”
More broadly, Mario added: “They always ask how we want to be competitive. I say: let that be our problem! You don’t know our preparations.
“We don’t need to sign any new people at all, we have absolutely experienced people who have the necessary knowledge.
“On the financial side, we have credible partners who are aware of the size of the project. We’ve been planning for a long time with our programme because it’s everything we want.
“We deserve more respect.”
Michael then added his sharp riposte, claiming the lukewarm reception highlighted F1 was taking its recent boom in America for granted.
“I’m trying to remind them that there’s 350 million people in this country, and that, yes, there’s been a spike in interest here with Drive to Survive, but that they shouldn’t be content with what they have,” said Andretti via The Race.
“We’re just skimming the surface. They’ve captured the interest of all these new fans, but fans are a little fickle.
“They’re confident that they have the American audience now. But you need a hook to keep them in for the future. And we feel that we can be that hook.
“We’re a true American team, we get a true American driver. Now it’s, Oh, there’s really something for the country to root for. That’s where I think our value really comes in strong, to keep that fan that they just got.”
Andretti also argued F1 wasn’t ready to branch out from its traditional base.
“It was a definite European club,” Michael said on his time in F1 in 1993.
“And I’m getting the feeling it’s still the European club, the way we’re being treated because we would be a threat. The first real international team.
“It’s a very snobbish approach they’re taking. Ultimately, we’re going to bring more value than we’re going to take away.”
Responding to those comments, Guenther Steiner, team boss at Haas, F1’s only current team with a base outside of Europe, believes Andretti is making a mistake by going on the attack.
“I don’t know what he’s trying to achieve with these comments but that’s down to Michael,” he said via F1i.com.
“Obviously, in my opinion, these comments, they’re not constructive, or, you know, taking forward but you live by your choices.”