Ex-Alpine boss wants to launch 12th F1 team

May 6 (GMM) Former Alpine and Aston Martin team boss Otmar Szafnauer has set his sights on his most ambitious Formula 1 project yet.

With Cadillac set to make its debut next year as F1’s new eleventh team, Szafnauer was in Miami last week and revealed his ambition to further expand the grid to its maximum 12 teams.

“Before I arrived in Formula 1 with BAR, there were even more teams than that – back when there was pre-qualifying,” he said at the Fuelling the City’s Global Spotlight event, according to the French magazine Auto Hebdo.

“So if a twelfth team materialises, I want to be ready to be the successful candidate,” the 60-year-old added.

“There’s definitely enough room for 12 teams, and I think 24 cars is better than 22. There’s definitely room – physical space – and if those 12 teams can all be competitive, it’s much better with 24 drivers.”

Although fiercely opposed for some time by Liberty Media and the existing ten teams, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was behind the push for an 11th team and he has also left the door open for a potential twelfth.

“I imagine that when the call for tenders for this 12th team is launched, several applications will be submitted,” said Szafnauer. “So I want to be sure that my application will be the best of those.”