The fever for Formula 1 in the United States has opened the door to the arrival of a new team from that country on the grid, and everything seems to indicate that this will be the case after the recognized interest that Michael Andretti has in disembarking in the Great Circus.
The person in charge of the structure that is present in various categories, such as IndyCar or Formula E, has expressed his desire to have a team in Formula 1 and, how could it be otherwise, with an American driver.
The owners of the highest category of motorsports, Liberty Media , have also confirmed their desire to have a driver of this nationality in the paddock to further increase interest in the sport in North America, and it is logical after seeing how they have triumphed in the Netherlands with Max Verstappen.
Another example could be Guanyu Zhou, who is the first and so far only Chinese driver in history, who has been at the controls of the Alfa Romeo since the Bahrain Grand Prix this season, and has caused an increase in resources for those of Hinwil thanks to their sponsors.
However, there are those who are against a driver landing in Formula 1 just because of his nationality, as George Russell defends. The one from Mercedes has positioned himself against benefiting certain people only because of their country of origin, and asks the category to make sure they have the best and not just those who pay the most.
“I haven’t had experiences with American drivers, or I don’t remember. Maybe I met one or two during my years in karting,” said the Briton when asked to speak on the subject.
“Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, a driver should not be on the grid just because of his nationality. We must have the best and show their worth when they are here,” said Russell.
“We don’t live in a perfect world, but this is the elite, and it has to stay that way,” he continued. “We have the best engineers, the best tracks, and that is why we must have a system that filters the best drivers, because with them, everything will be fine, that is my position.”
Another who positions himself along the same lines as Mercedes is Carlos Sainz, who also thinks that nationality should not be a key factor in reaching Formula 1: “I think what George [Russell] said is self-explanatory. “.
“We welcome anyone who is a top driver here, and if there is an American, he can be on the grid. I think you have to look at the talent, not the country,” said the Spaniard.
“I am sure that if there is someone out there who has the ability to race in Formula 1, he will come and we will compete fiercely with him and have fun,” said Ferrari.
The reality is that, if Andretti finally reaches the category, Colton Herta could be the American driver who wants the championship so much to continue growing in the country of stars and stripes, although for that we will have to wait, at least, until 2024, when the rumor of this entry to Formula 1 is put to an end.
