Having previously admitted that he would like to enter F1, Michael Andretti is being linked with a bid for the Sauber-run Alfa Romeo team.

Speaking to Racer in August, Andretti admitted that a move to F1 was possible.

"It would be great," he said, "but there's a long way to go if it were to happen. If the right opportunity comes up, we'll be all over it. But we're not there yet."

Son of the 1978 Formula One World Champion, Mario Andretti, Michael's own F1 venture never lived up to expectations, the American parting company with McLaren by mutual agreement with three rounds of the 1993 season remaining.

Returning to CART in 1994, in 2001 he bought Team Green for which he raced before effectively retiring at the end of 2002 to concentrate on running his new venture which switched to the rival IndyCar series in 2003.

Since then, Andretti Autosport, as it eventually came to be known, has won four IndyCar titles and claimed victory in the Indy 500 five times.

Other than IndyCar, Andretti has branched out into other disciplines including Indy Lights, Formula E, Extreme E and Supercars in Australia, in partnership with Zak Brown's United Autosports.

In the weeks since the initial story, speculation linking Andretti with a bid for Alfa Romeo has intensified, with some claiming a decision could be made in Austin later this month. Indeed, Andretti has admitted to Racer that "significant" talks are scheduled for the weekend of the forthcoming United States Grand Prix.

"I've been working on it for a long, long, time," Andretti told Reuters last month. "When the right opportunity comes up I'm going to jump at it. Nothing new to report at the moment, but, who knows? There's a lot of reports, rumours, and that stuff."

Alfa Romeo team principal, Frederic Vasseur, was giving little away, telling reporters in Turkey: "I'm the CEO and team principal and these kind of discussions are not with me, it would be with the shareholders.

"We have so many rumours and so on that you have to ask the question to the shareholders of the company," he added.

As the sport seeks to expand in the US - Miami the latest addition to the schedule - another American team would be welcomed by F1's owners, especially one with the gravitas of the Andretti name.

With a budget cap finally in place and the 2022 rules overhaul promising a more level playing field, entering the sport has rarely appeared a more attractive proposition.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by zoom, 11/10/2021 9:32

"Being in the USA, I would love to see it. My favorite Mario quote "If everything is under control, you're not driving fast enough.""

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2. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 10/10/2021 13:56

"Seems Haas might be a better move, given they have at least some operations in North Carolina already? Maybe they’re too much of a crap show to be attractive though, or they’re too tied up with Russian money. It would be nice to see the Andretti name back in F1, but I’d hope not as another back-marker."

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3. Posted by kenji, 10/10/2021 7:50

"I have a suggestion for the new team, should it eventuate. How about Sauber Alfandretti. Just rolls off nicely."

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Speculation over Andretti bid for Alfa Romeo intensifies

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