(Motorsport-Total.com) – Former Formula 1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer is not giving up the fight for a twelfth Formula 1 team and continues to plan an entry with his own racing team. As early as 2024, he had announced that he was working on a project with US investors, and in 2025 he reaffirmed his intentions. In the meantime, he is even involved in a team – and this one is no stranger to the paddock.
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Because in February, Szafnauer was appointed as the new Managing Director and Managing Partner of Van Amersfoort. The racing team currently competes in Formula 2 and Formula 3 and was previously home to the likes of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, and Mick Schumacher.
However, their majority owner is no longer founder Frits van Amersfoort, but the Mexican Rafael Villagomez, whose son of the same name is now in his third year driving for the racing team in Formula 2.
“The owner and I have thought about a potential collaboration on a Formula 1 team, which could still happen if something interesting is for sale or the slot for the twelfth team becomes available,” Szafnauer reveals to GPblog.com.
The former team principal of Force India and Alpine had already built the relationship with Villagomez when the FIA was looking for an eleventh team. In the end, however, that became Cadillac.
“In the course of all these discussions, he said to me: ‘Well, look, why don’t you help me with Van Amersfoort in the meantime?’, since he only bought and expanded Van Amersfoort a few years ago,” says Szafnauer.
“So I said: ‘Okay, I’ll come and help you with Van Amersfoort. But for me to do that, I don’t want to be just an employee. I want to be your partner.'” And will this partnership soon lead to Formula 1?
“If they open up the possibility for a twelfth team, we want to do that too or buy into somewhere,” Szafnauer reaffirms.
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Not just Formula 1 on the radar
However, they are not just focused on Formula 1; a possible start in the IndyCar series, where Formula 2 competitor Prema is currently struggling and wants to sell its team, or a sports car team are also under discussion. “We want to expand strategically and with the goal of increasing the value of the entire company,” he emphasizes.
Although it is still open what a potential project might be called, because according to Szafnauer it depends on who you buy and which partners you have, in general, there is nothing against Van Amersfoort for him.
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“Bernie (Ecclestone, former Formula 1 boss; editor’s note) used to say: ‘If you buy Marks & Spencer, why would you change the name?'”, he says. “It all depends on what you buy. If you’re already buying something, part of what you’re acquiring is already a good name – then you keep it.”
“I’ll give you an example: This is not my decision, but Rafael bought Van Amersfoort and he didn’t change the name. It has a 51-year history.”
No second Stroll scenario
By the way: Anyone worried that the story will turn into a second scenario like at Aston Martin, where Lawrence Stroll basically gave his son Lance a cockpit guarantee, can rest easy, because a Formula 1 promotion for Rafael Villagomez Jr. is very unlikely.
The 24-year-old simply lacks the super license points. In terms of sporting performance, he hasn’t earned any, as he hasn’t finished in the top 10 in any of his Formula 3 or Formula 2 years since 2021.
It is also more than questionable whether Formula 1 would accept a private project like Van Amersfoort and would not rather wait for a major manufacturer or a team from China or the Middle East for its twelfth slot.
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