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How Much Does Andretti Have to Pay to Buy Into Sauber-Owned Alfa Romeo F1?

Published 10/28/2021, 5:45 AM EDT

One of the biggest talking points of the ongoing F1 season strangely revolved around the struggling mid-field team, Alfa Romeo Racing, owned by the Swiss outfit, Sauber.

Hardly weeks after Kimi Raikkonen announced his retirement and subsequent recruitment of Valtteri Bottas, another shocking story blew up – Sauber selling their long-held Formula 1 outfit to American auto-racing team, Andretti Autosport.

After weeks, a rumor grew out of the discussions between the two parties. Many reckoned that Andretti will buy into Sauber prior to the United States GP. And in addition to that, the official announcement was due over the same race weekend.

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But, here’s the late twist! The talks aren’t materializing, according to Auto Motor Und Sport. While Alfa Romeo placed their offer on the table, and Andretti’s keen on pursuing it, the investors are obstructing the deal from going through. The numbers are absolutely huge.

Why Andretti’s Takeover of Sauber F1 is Off the Table

How much does Andretti have to invest to buy Alfa Romeo?

Andretti would have to invest a whopping €50 million a year in order to bridge the gap between the team’s income and the budget cap. And this would mean that Andretti will have to hunt for bigger sponsorship money.

Hence, amidst Andretti’s displeasure in spending such huge funds, Sauber’s owner, Finn Rausing, is reportedly insisting that his team must go into safe hands, an owner who is capable of spending enough money to keep the success of Sauber afloat.

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And on top of that €50 million per year investment talks, there is also the purchase price. If Andretti does want to purchase Sauber, the pay is likely to be around €350 million, and that’s not it. The buyer should also own a bank guarantee of €250 million in a bid to secure the team’s future for the next five years.

But there’s also another reason why Rausing wouldn’t want to sell his team. The moment the deal goes through, Andretti will erase any kind of evidence over the existence of a legendary team like Sauber. And this was completely the opposite with Williams.

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Although Dorilton Capitals took over the ownership from the Williams family, the heritage is very much alive. So, with the time ticking, will there ever be a consensus between Sauber and Andretti before the end of this season? Or will Andretti have to wait it out for another year or two before making their next move?

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Written by:

Rohit Kumar is an F1 author at EssentiallySports. He has been an ardent follower of the racing series since 2007, with his love for the sport coinciding with his love for Kimi Raikkonen. He is also an ardent follower of Sebastian Vettel and Aston Martin Racing.

How Much Does Andretti Have to Pay to Buy Into Sauber-Owned Alfa Romeo F1?

How much does Andretti have to invest to buy Alfa Romeo?

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