Alpine has revealed that a pre-contract agreement that had been put in place with Andretti to supply its power units to the American outfit has expired.
Andretti’s application to enter F1 perhaps as early as 2025 was given a green light by the FIA. However, the team has yet to overcome its toughest hurdle: convincing F1 and its teams that its presence will add value to the sport.
For the past two years, Andretti has been pushing forward with its F1 endeavor, working on its independent entry after its efforts to acquire a majority stake in Sauber failed.
The US outfit has sealed a partnership with American automotive giant General Motors through its affiliated Cadillac brand, an association that it hopes will lead to the development of a Cadillac-branded F1 power unit.
In the interim, Andretti’s short-term engine requirements were to be fulfilled by Alpine based on a preliminary deal signed with Renault. But Alpine team boss Bruno Famin has revealed that the tentative agreement no longer exists.
“We had a pre-contract with Andretti, which has expired because they were supposed to be granted an F1 entry before a given date,” the Frenchman told Motorsport.com.
“It means right now, if we want to do something with Andretti, we need to negotiate a full contract, a formal contract. So right now, we have absolutely no contract with Andretti.”
Famin added that there would be no ‘formal’ negotiations between Alpine and Andretti until the latter is granted an official entry by Formula One.
“Everybody knows what the situation is,” said the Alpine VP and team boss. “We need something, and we need a decision from F1 before resuming with Andretti.”
Andretti’s process of convincing F1 and its franchisees that its team is worthy of a spot on the grid is likely to be a long-drawn-out affair that could drag on well into 2024, at which point it would be very difficult technically for Alpine to supply its engine to the US outfit for 2025 because of the long lead time that is necessary to put in place a customer supply deal.
“I'm not talking about [only] Andretti, but we start the supply of parts for the season a very long time before,” Famin explained.
“Of course, depending on what will be the situation, there are some things we will be able to do, and some others we won't be able to.
“But, for the time being, it's even useless talking about that, because let's see, we don't have the starting point.”
While there would be a commercial interest for Alpine to contract with Andretti, the manufacturer is nevertheless in the camp of those who are skeptic over the team’s ability to boost the value of F1.
“We have nothing against 11 teams if it really brings real added value to the business as a whole, and to F1 in general,” Famin said.
“It's up to F1, to the promoter, to assess what is the real added value an 11th team may bring. And if they evaluate that there is really a big added value, we will be happy with that.
“What we don't want is that an 11th team dilutes the value of our assets in the championship. Of course, if that will be the case, we will be against that.”
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