Andretti Global is still chasing a spot on Formula 1's grid, and if its hopes of joining the fray pan out, motorsport legend Mario Andretti already has a clear idea of who he would like to see lead the US outfit.
There has been little news from the FIA or from F1 on the Andretti family's F1 endeavor, but team owner Michael Andretti is moving ahead with his plans and working on the assumption that the American outfit will be granted an F1 entry by the sport's governing body.
Last week, Andretti Global's new state-of-art factory broke ground in Fishers, Indiana, where the campus will house all the company's racing activities, including hopefully F1.
Michael Andretti said that he was "working every day" to secure an entry into F1, adding that the acceptance or rejection of his team's candidature was likely weeks away.
Speaking to SoyMotor, Andretti senior revealed that a familiar name was at the top of his short list of drivers who could join the American outfit if things work out: Fernando Alonso, who raced for Andretti Autosport in the 2017 Indy 500.
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"It’s very possible, of course," said the 1978 F1 world champion. "His experience is immeasurable, and it would be a tremendous thing for us, so we’re going to look at it.
"I think he wants to keep racing and he’s still in his prime."
As for the second driver on Andretti's wish list, it's predictably an American name that could have joined the grid this year had Michael Andretti's push to acquire Sauber over a year ago been successful.
"One of the drivers who 99 per cent would be in the team is Colton Herta, but he would need someone with more experience alongside him," he said.
"This would make the team much more complete and that is what is being discussed right now as part of the plan.
"The main goal would be to have a very experienced driver alongside a new talent, and to have at least one American driver in the team."
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The Andretti clan is keeping its fingers crossed and hoping the FIA will greenlight its entry among motorsport's elite.
But the team would prove a worthy addition, the most recent communication by F1 boss Stefano Domenicali points to a flat refusal by the powers that be.
"I think today in the actual status of F1, it's not a problem of quantity, where we can see a step of increasing the value of F1," said the F1 boss last summer.
"We need to be prudent because when we're talking about Formula 1, we need to have an entity or a team or a manufacturer that [is] really solid, is really strong and has a full commitment for an incredible long-term future.
"But as I said today, I don't see honestly the need of that increase to have a big benefit for the sport of Formula 1."
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