"Finally I'll have a home": Mario Andretti can't thank son Michael enough for IndyCar and Cadillac F1 lifelines

Mario Andretti was always welcomed in the IndyCar paddock with open arms as his son's team, Andretti Autosport, had been on the grid. Meanwhile, the Andretti name was no longer on the F1 grid, and Mario always felt like a mere spectator whenever he was present at an F1 race. However, this will soon change with the introduction of the Cadillac F1 team, and the 85-year-old expressed his gratitude towards his son for making sacrifices to make him feel at home in the F1 paddock.

Michael Andretti had been a prominent figure in the F1 paddock for the past few years as he took a proactive approach to get the Andretti name on the F1 grid. However, his aggressive approach was allegedly not appreciated by some F1 personnel, as Formula One Management denied Andretti Global's bid to enter the F1 stable.

This crushed the hopes of many on getting a major American brand in the F1 paddock. However, Michael was not going to settle for a no. He decided to leave the Andretti outfit, and with the restructuring of the F1 project with General Motors taking over, the proposed team was given the green light to join the F1 stable.

On the other hand, Mario Andretti became a part of the board of directors for the soon-to-be Cadillac F1 team. This essentially gave him a home in the F1 sphere going forward, and sharing his delight and gratitude towards his son, the 85-year-old said (via ESPN Fans):

“As I came out of the cockpit, the best thing is that my son Michael [Andretti] was continuing even when he stepped out of the cockpit as an owner. So I felt that I had a home when I went to the races, not just that [I] arrived there as a spectator or so forth."

"And that's what I like about the situation that we will have in Formula One, finally I could go to a Formula One race and I will have a home, a place to be where, the team, that's part of us,” he added. (5:00 onwards)

As a part of the board of directors for GM/Cadillac, Mario Andretti will look over the drivers that the newly made team will sign.

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Mario Andretti praises Colton Herta for his training to get into F1

With Mario Andretti being handed the responsibility for potentially hiring drivers for the American outfit, long-time F1 prospect Colton Herta has soared into the headlines. Moreover, the former IndyCar and F1 champion speaks greatly of the 24-year-old, as he reckons Herta to be a good bet for the Cadillac F1 team, as he said (via Motorsport.com):

"Looking back at the way Colton has trained from the very beginning of his young career – as you know, he started in Formula 3 and so on with the likes of Lando Norris, and he's done some F1 testing. And all of this has to be proven, of course, but going in, he's a good bet, in my opinion."

Meanwhile, Colton Herta stands eighth in the interim IndyCar standings after a reputable outing in Thermal Club.