Fred Vasseur makes huge F1 driver claim over Andretti entry

F1 News & Gossip

Vasseur makes huge F1 driver claim over Andretti entry

Fred Vasseur believes F1 in the US is boosted more by homegrown drivers

Cal Gaunt

Thursday 21 December 2023 10:57

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Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has stressed the importance of American drivers in Formula 1 over the addition of another American team.

While Michael Andretti's potential team passed initial evaluations, concerns linger among F1 stakeholders about introducing an 11th team and its impact on year-end payouts.

Despite F1's efforts to expand its presence in the US, apprehensions persist about the entry of Andretti's team, even with a notable partnership with General Motors.

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Now, after being asked whether there was room in F1 for an 11th team, Vasseur said F1 might be better off prioritising American drivers, rather than new outfits.

Logan Sargeant is currently the only American driver in F1

Michael Andretti is currently trying to introduce Andretti F1 as an 11th team on the grid

Vasseur: Drivers over teams

“On paper you always have room except that you are not able to go to Monaco or to Zandvoort, that’s another story," Vasseur told the media.

“But for sure there is room for an 11th team if the team is bringing something to F1.”

However, Vasseur highlights that a driver wields greater influence on a country's F1 engagement than a team.

Frederic Vasseur believes drivers bring interest to nations rather than having their own teams

“We spoke about the coverage from the country of the team but for me, it’s not the right approach. The approach is that F1 is a success in the country where the drivers are successful.

“If you have a look today, one of the biggest successes for F1 is for the Netherlands because they have Verstappen. It's more a matter of drivers than the team and the nationality of the team. You have Haas, an American team.

“If you are speaking about Andretti, they will join with exactly the same system as Haas. If we want to be very successful in the USA, I think it's more a matter to bring successful American drivers than an American team."

Formula 1 Fred Vasseur Logan Sargeant Michael Andretti