| Out of all the conversations I had in a buzzing IndyCar paddock in St Petersburg last weekend, the one that sticks most in my mind was sitting down with Michael Andretti to talk about his Formula 1 team project. Michael has done an amazing job in IndyCar, both as a driver and a team boss, but his time behind the wheel in F1 was one of the worst experiences of his career. Parachuted into McLaren as Ayrton Senna’s teammate, he really struggled with a car that was using a customer engine. While Senna produced some miracle wins, Andretti was fired after scoring his only podium finish at Monza. Does he really need that pain back in his life, this time as a team owner, in the most hostile environment in racing? Yes, he replied, looking me straight in the eye: “I’m very excited about it, I’ve wanted to do it for a long time.” This after he got burned by a deal to buy Alfa/Sauber collapsing on the verge of signing the contract – labelling the situation as “horrible” – while fellow American Gene Haas refuses to sell his team, which would fast-track Michael’s plans considerably. Best of luck to Andretti, he’s going to need it but one thing he doesn’t lack is desire or persistence! By: Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief
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