Roger Benoit, Mike Hammer
Strange that the son of the 81-year-old ex-world champion Mario Andretti (1978 on Lotus) hardly talks about it in public. However, he announced “interesting news” on Twitter.
“Longest trip to the USA”
On the way from Zurich to Austin, where the first training session begins today, the Swiss team often had the opportunity to talk about the possible sale of the team.
Sports director Beat Zehnder to Blick: “It was my longest trip to the USA. We were on the road for a total of 38 hours! ” Madness nowadays.
Two flights canceled
The odyssey began in Zurich. The United flight to Washington was canceled. Rebooking to a machine to Boston.
Because you got there too late, the troops had to go to the hotel. The next morning the Delta was to go to Austin. Flight canceled due to technical problems. So again wait until you arrive in Texas one day late in the evening.
200 employees gone?
But the big discussion only revolved around the foreign takeover – and motorsport-total.com drew a terrible scenario: Andretti is to plan to lay off 200 employees.
But it was also speculated that the US talent Colton Herta (21) will be allowed to drive an Alfa-Sauber for 60 minutes on the first Austin training day. As part of the deal.
“Above all the British have trouble”
Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone (90), informed about almost everything behind the scenes (“You have your eternal friends”): “I hardly think it will be a Formula 1 deal with Andretti comes. Switzerland is not exactly the ideal Formula 1 location for foreigners. Even if the conditions with the great factory and the wind tunnel are actually given. Above all, the important Brits don’t really get going here, they leave relatively quickly for personal reasons! You just don’t feel comfortable without fish and chips. »
Peter Sauber (78) used to have to get upset again and again that the Formula 1 island of Switzerland did not offer any great incentives for the stars on the technical side and that life was far too expensive for married employees.
Clean number 4
Therefore it is almost a miracle – also for Ecclestone (who has lived in Gstaad BE for over 35 years) that Sauber is the fourth oldest Formula 1 team behind Ferrari, McLaren and Williams.
We owe that only to Peter Sauber, who bravely went through all the depths. He has been following the scene from a safe distance for five years, but can be either “very happy” or “annoying!” With the results.