Haas Formula 1 team boss Guenther Steiner has given a hint that there were talks between the team and Michael Andretti on a possible takeover but insists that the talks were not as ‘concrete’ as the rumors state they are.
According to reliable media sources, Andretti is believed to have plans to buy major shares in Sauber which have him take control of the Alfa Romeo F1 team. The tycoon, who was a former McLaren driver is said to be looking for an 80 per cent share of Islero Investments which was set up by the Longbow Finance group that acquired the team from founder and then co-owner Peter Sauber.
The move would provide a second American-owned entry on the F1 grid alongside Haas and asked if Andretti had held talks over acquiring a stake in the team, Steiner said: “Everybody knows each other in American racing and maybe there were talks but maybe not as concrete as you think they are.”
On Andretti’s talks with Sauber, he added: “I don’t know what Michael is doing to be honest.
“I spoke with Michael a few times, not lately, but I don’t know what Michael is trying to do.”
With the focus on promoting F1’s market in the US providing a second race Stateside in Miami next year, being an American-owned team will bring a more intense spotlight.
WIth the potential of Haas losing that exclusivity if Andretti completes the takeover of Sauber, Steiner was adamant his team did not see any threat to the job it has been doing.
“I don’t see anybody as a threat,” he said.
“We have no issue with that one wherever the team is from. But I think what we didn’t do, we didn’t exploit the American market, the sponsorship market as much as we should have because otherwise we would have more American on the car.
“But there seems to be a lot of this that everything needs to be American all of a sudden and everything sounds to be focussed on America. But I think there is other countries as well and for sure, because Austin is now on, there is a lot of focus on it.
“But there hasn’t been anyone knocking on our door with a big sponsorship deal and saying because we are American, this is what we are going to do or this is why we are going to support an American driver.
“There is no magic in this game and whatever happens, there will be not a lot of change.
“There is a lot of talk at the moment but we need to walk now.”
