After his departure from Alpine in 2023, there was a long period of silence surrounding Otmar Szafnauer. However, the former team boss is working behind the scenes to bring a twelfth team to Formula 1. The American believes this would benefit the sport and thinks that as an owner and team boss, he can bring ‘that little bit extra’ passion.
During an event in the Miami race weekend, co-organized by Axios and The Race, Otmar Szafnauer revealed that he is working behind the scenes on a possible team registration in Formula 1. The former team boss of Aston Martin and Alpine sees Cadillac’s entry as a clear signal that the sport is open to expansion, provided the right proposal is on the table. “Cadillac got the eleventh spot. I believe there were five bidders or candidates for that spot. So, I can well imagine that, as soon as the bidding process for the twelfth team is opened, there will be more than one applicant,” he anticipates.
The Romanian-born American believes there is ‘definitely’ room for a twelfth team on the grid. His reasoning is clear: more cars mean more competition, more opportunities for drivers, and more spectacle for fans. “In my 28 years, there was a time when we had twelve teams in Formula 1. And before I joined, there were even more, when teams still had to pre-qualify,” he recalled. “And if that twelfth team comes, I want to be ready to be the successful bidder. I want to make sure my application is the best of all, I’ve worked hard on that.”
Dual Role
Szafnauer, who was notably quiet after his abrupt departure from Alpine in 2023, now hopes to use his experience to make a winning bid. Inspired by the example of Toto Wolff at Mercedes, he sees himself fit for a dual role within a future team. “If you can fulfill both roles, and Toto can, I think you become more efficient. You don’t have to rely on someone else,” he said. “You lead the team yourself, both from a commercial and technical point of view, and both are important today. So yes, you definitely gain efficiency. And if you’re both owner and team boss, you really have something at stake. Although there is already a lot of passion in Formula 1, that gives that little bit extra.”
