Alpine welcome Andretti Cadillac’s F1 dream with open arms

Formula 1 Testing in Bahrain - Day Two — Alan Permane, Sporting Director at Alpine F1 (L) and Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal of Alpine F1 (R) look on from the pitwall during day two of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on February 24, 2023 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

Unlike most teams on the Formula 1 grid, Alpine has reacted positively to Andretti's F1 team with Cadillac joining the grid as a 11th team.

Michael Andretti announced earlier that the team, under the name of Cadillac and in collaboration with General Motors, would be joining Formula 1 in the near future. While it was first expected that they would replace or rebrand a currently running team on the grid, it was later revealed that they wish to join the grid as an 11th team.

While most teams have been against the idea, Alpine's team principal Otmae Szafnauer would not oppose it. He believes the presence of 22 drivers on the grid will be good for the fans and for the competition in the sport.

TopGear.com quoted him as saying:

"We will not say no, if it’s good for the sport, I’m all for it. The real question is: ‘Is it better for the sport or isn’t it?’ To me, if you have 11 teams and 22 drivers instead of 20 and they’re all competitive, then it’s better for the fans. And if it’s better for the fans, it’s got to be better for the sport."

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Alpine boss feels Cadillac with Andretti is a good combination in Formula 1

Andretti will be joining under Cadillac's name in Formula 1 with the help of General Motors. Szafnauer, Alpine's CEO, feels that the naming combination will be great for Formula 1 and said:

"Cadillac’s a big name in the auto industry, bigger in America than in Europe, and Andretti’s a big name in motorsport. So the combination of the two to come into Formula 1, I think from a naming perspective it’s great."

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Despite Alpine's agreement to have 11 teams racing on the grid, Andretti still has a lot to take care of as there are at least nine other teams that are in disagreement. It was also revealed earlier that other teams have requested the anti-dilution fee of $200 million should be turned into $600 million to compensate for the prize money after the entry of the 11th team.

It appears the main issue that other teams have from a potential 11th team is the reduction in prize money.

Edited by Ritwik Kumar