Ex-F1 racing driver Ralf Schumacher claims Michael Andretti has already bought 80% of Sauber, but another report suggests the opposite.
Andretti, a former McLaren F1 driver who became the owner of a racing team, has been linked with the purchase of an 80 percent stake in Sauber, the operator of the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team.
As part of the deal, Colton Herta was recommended as a partner of Valtteri Bottas from 2022.
While there is no official confirmation yet, the proposed deal remains a rumor as of this writing.
According to Schumacher, everything has been agreed and approved behind the scenes.
“It has not yet been officially confirmed, but 80 percent of Sauber has already been sold to Andretti,” Schumacher told Sky Germany.
“The Rausing family is no longer shareholders, although Finn Rausing himself has retained 20 percent.”
Various past and present Formula 1 employees weighed the conversation, with Aston Martin team principal Lawrence Stroll saying Andretti would be a “great addition” to the F1 grid.
Ex-Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has meanwhile expressed his doubts that Andretti would get into Formula 1.
He told Bottas that no takeover talks had been mentioned in his contract negotiations with Alfa Romeo.
But according to Andretti’s compatriot, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, Andretti’s Formula 1 interest is real and very serious.
“I don’t think it’s my position to really comment on Michael’s situation,” Brown said in Austin. “I would say that he is very serious about Formula One,” said Brown at the United States Grand Prix.
“I think it would be great if Michael and the Andretti name were involved in Formula 1, but we’ll see what happens.”
However, GPFans Global states that while Andretti has made an offer worth “just over $ 300 million for an 80 percent stake in Islero Investments,” the organization that runs the Alfa Romeo team is within Islero it is divided whether they should do it or not accept the offer.
It therefore means the deal is on hold, according to their report, as Isrelo Investments believes the team’s value could soar on an uptrend with Formula 1 stock in the coming years.
Alfa Romeo has been fighting the track for several seasons, with the 2021 season earning the Swiss team just four points.
With just seven points on the board, Alfa Romeo is ninth in the constructors’ championship, 16 points behind Williams.
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