“But the Formula 1 goal here is the ultimate goal for him as well, no question about it, and he’s young enough to be there for a long, long time. Formula E, Extreme E, Supercars in Australia… He likes to put himself next to some good partners as well. “So we’re here for the duration and for Michael, you could see he’s been very ambitious as a team owner by participating in different disciplines all over the world if you think about it. That’s all we do, that’s all we know and it’s not that we’re people who just have the financial means and say, ‘Let’s give it a try.’ No, this is our life. “It is a huge situation here to get into but we live this sport. He has a couple of individuals behind him that are here for the duration and are solid, and everyone is feeling the same way, feeling very positive about embarking on something like this. He started working immediately on the Plan B, if you will, that now becomes Plan A, to just start his own team. “I said, ‘You’re so far along and you’ve done so much work since the attempt to purchase a present team failed.’ He’s not giving up on the idea, period. I certainly endorse what he’s doing and I’m there to help whichever way I can without having a job! That’s the perfect scenario! “I’m very proud of what Michael is doing and his goals. That’s what’s so gratifying and that’s why you embark on a lot of these ventures that obviously are very ambitious - no question - but that’s what it’s all about. The feedback that we’ve received and I’ve received has been 99.9% positive and that’s what we live for in so many ways.

What’s interesting, what’s kept me motivated in the business all my life is when I’m excited about something to share it with fans of the sport and then see their reaction. Q: It’s really big exciting news that has got a lot of people talking – how exciting is it to know of all the plans because you must be involved pretty heavily?

Here, Mario speaks exclusively to RACER about the plans and how they’re taking shape. With one tweet on Friday, Mario Andretti hyped up motorsport fans around the world by announcing his son Michael is attempting to enter his own Formula 1 team in 2024 after failing to purchase Sauber.

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