{"id":19729,"date":"2022-12-25T14:29:48","date_gmt":"2022-12-25T14:29:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/?p=19729"},"modified":"2022-12-25T14:29:50","modified_gmt":"2022-12-25T14:29:50","slug":"mario-andretti-99-likely-to-sign-american-racing-sensation-for-f1-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/mario-andretti-99-likely-to-sign-american-racing-sensation-for-f1-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Mario Andretti ‘99% likely’ to sign American racing sensation for F1 team"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Racing legend Mario Andretti has sensationally claimed that should Andretti Global’s bid to join the Formula 1 grid as an 11th team is successful, then IndyCar star Colton Herta would “99-percent” be driving for the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herta was heavily linked to a move to AlphaTauri for 2023 to replace Pierre Gasly who has switched to Alpine; however, the American star didn’t have the sufficient amount of points on his superlicence to allow him to legally switch to F1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red Bull tried to get the FIA to grant Herta permission to make the switch, given that IndyCar drivers aren’t given the superlicence points that they deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, AlphaTauri ended up signing former Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries instead, who will partner Yuki Tsunoda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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READ: \u2018Bloated\u2019 FIA blasted by driver for \u2018meddlesome\u2019 involvement<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andretti are hoping to get their team into F1 for 2024, meaning that Herta will likely need to win the 2023 IndyCar Championship to make the switch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should Herta be eligible to race in F1 in 2024, then Andretti Snr is wanting an experienced driver to be alongside the American, with the 1978 F1 World Champion wanting Fernando Alonso to be that person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is highly unlikely to happen, given that Alonso is about to enter a two-year deal with Aston Martin, with their being an option for a third season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on this, the double World Champion won’t be available until 2026, by which point he’ll be 44 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only other way for Andretti to sign Alonso would be to pay the Silverstone-based outfit a huge fee, given that the Spaniard is set to be on a very nice contract at his new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on the possibility of Alonso driving for Andretti in F1, Andretti Snr labelled it as “very possible”, with his signature being able to make a side “much more complete”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very possible, of course,\u201d Andretti said on a Twitch stream with SoyMotor.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis experience is immeasurable and it would be a tremendous thing for us, so we\u2019re going to look at it. I think he wants to keep racing and he\u2019s still in his prime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Carlos Sainz gets $700,000 early Christmas present https:\/\/t.co\/uEBhHLGfjv<\/a><\/p>— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) December 23, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>