Otmar Szafnauer: 'I want to be prepared to be the successful bidder': Otmar Szafnauer targets heading 12th Formula 1 team amidst Cadillac's entry momentum
Seasoned
Formula 1
veteran
Otmar Szafnauer
is already in the process of making a 12th team a reality in the F1 paddock after General Motors-backed Cadillac received the go-ahead to join the grid in 2026.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
With almost three decades of experience in more than one F1 team, the American motorsport strategist feels the time to create a serious bid has come.
Otmar Szafnauer feels Formula 1 is ready for a 12th team
Former F1 Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer in conversation with Axios media correspondent Sara Fischer
Otmar Szafnauer, former Team Principal at Alpine and Aston Martin, is a long-time believer in expanding the Formula 1 grid to 12 teams—and he is determined to be the main actor in making that vision a reality. Leveraging the recent inclusion of Cadillac as the 11th team for 2026, Szafnauer believes that there is a clear path for a suitably prepared and experienced squad to enter the championship.
'In my 28 years, there was a time where we had 12 teams in F1,' Otmar Szafnauer said in an Axios and The Race-hosted discussion. 'And prior to me joining – I signed my contract [with BAR] in '97 and joined in '98 – there were even more, when they used to have pre-qualifying. So I think there's room for a 12th team. And if a 12th team does happen, I want to be prepared, in order to be the successful bidder for the 12th team. So that's what I've been working on.'
The announcement comes while the FIA and Liberty Media have indicated a willingness to entertain new entrants, subject to them living up to the sporting, financial, and technical high standards required of Formula 1 today.
Citing Mercedes-AMG's Toto Wolff, Otmar Szafnauer feels that team principals who marry technical knowledge with business sense add a strategic dimension.
'If you can do both, and Toto can, I think you gain efficiencies,' he said.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
'You don't have to rely on somebody else. You lead the team yourself in both the commercial aspect as well as the technology aspect, and both are important these days. So yeah, you definitely gain efficiencies, and if you're owner/manager, you have a bit of skin in the game. Although there's huge passion in F1, there's just a little bit more.'
This combined leadership approach is the foundation of Szafnauer's presentation, especially with the increasing commercial sophistication of Formula 1 and shrinking performance margins.
With a career that features top jobs at BAR, Racing Point, Aston Martin, and Alpine, he believes that his blend of technical know-how and management skills particularly suits him to head a new operation.
Also read:
Otmar Szafnauer's desire to return to the Formula 1 grid as head of a 12th team marks a new and ambitious chapter in his illustrious career. As the sport grows its international reach and technical regulations come under review, Szafnauer is positioning himself as an able architect of a next-generation F1 team—that has competitive zeal combined with business solidity.
Whether his bid is accepted or not, his aggressive approach sends a signal of increasing hunger for growth in the world's most premier motorsport series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Trump says China trade deal ‘done': 55% tariff, supply of rare earth minerals
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States has reached a trade agreement with China, including an easing of curbs imposed by Beijing on export of rare earth minerals and magnets that are key inputs for industries ranging from automobiles to electronics. 'Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me,' Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He said China would supply 'any necessary rare earths' and magnets, while the US would make concessions on allowing Chinese students to attend American universities. The Trump administration had recently begun to clamp down on the presence of Chinese nationals on US college campuses. 'We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%. Relationship is excellent!' Trump wrote, without elaborating. Bloomberg quoted a White House official as saying that the agreement allows the US to charge a 55 per cent tariff on imported Chinese goods, which, crucially, includes a 10 per cent baseline 'reciprocal' tariff, a 20 per cent tariff for fentanyl trafficking, and a 25 per cent tariff reflecting pre-existing tariffs (imposed by Trump in his first term, that the Biden administration persisted with). China would charge a 10 per cent tariff on American imports, the official said. Though the details of the deal were still unclear, analysts predicted that China seems to have gained the upper-hand after its rare earth restrictions prompted US carmakers, including Ford Motor and Chrysler, to cut production. Significantly, Trump said a final deal is subject to approval from him and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese state media said earlier Wednesday that Beijing had reached a 'framework' for an agreement with the US during talks in London, but there was no official response from China on Trump's subsequent claims on Truth Social. Earlier, both the negotiating sides said they had agreed in principle to a framework for dialling down trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies. After the meeting in London — the second time the two sides have met in the last couple of months, since Trump's sweeping tariff onslaught — there were indications of a reconciliation. What is beginning to get clearer after the second meeting is that this is perhaps not how the US imagined the trade war to unfold. China is beginning to dictate the direction of the bilateral talks, with the US almost seen as requesting for much-needed concessions on the resumption of supplies of critical inputs. In the first round of talks in Geneva, the US delegation led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had asked the Chinese to cut its tariffs in tandem with theirs, primarily because the Americans were facing the heat back home from the early fallout of the high tariffs, including empty shelves at grocery stories and surging prices of daily use commodities. In London, the US side is learnt to have specifically asked the Chinese to 'suspend or remove' restrictions on rare earths magnets, which had forced a supply-chain crunch. The London meeting follows a call between Trump and Xi on June 5, which was initiated by the White House — the first call since Trump's reciprocal tariff announcement. After the London talks, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the deal should result in restrictions on rare earth minerals and magnets 'being resolved'. 'We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus… Once the Presidents approve it, we will then seek to implement it,' he said. 'The two sides have, in principle, reached a framework for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state during the phone call on June 5 and the consensus reached at the Geneva meeting,' the BBC quoted China's Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang as saying. Chinese export controls over rare earth minerals were high on the agenda of the meetings. While Beijing has not imposed an outright ban on the export of rare earth magnets, the process has been made very difficult; it could take a long time to source, posing shortage risks. Rare earth magnets, especially neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, are crucial for EV manufacturing. They provide the strong magnetic fields needed for efficient and powerful electric motors, including traction motors that drive EVs. These magnets also play a major role in other EV components like power steering systems, wiper motors and braking systems. China has a virtual stranglehold over these rare earth magnets. In May, talks held in Geneva led to a temporary truce after the tit-for-tat tariff increases by both sides, which led to duties that peaked at 145 per cent. Trump called the outcome of the talks in Switzerland a 'total reset', which brought US tariffs on Chinese products down to 30 per cent, while Beijing cut duties on US imports to 10 per cent. Both sides also agreed to a 90-day deadline to try to reach a trade deal. However, the US and China have since accused each other of breaching the deal. The US has said that Beijing has been dragging its feet on opening up exports of rare earth metals and magnets while the Chinese claim that Washington has restricted its access to American goods such as semiconductors and other related technologies linked to artificial intelligence. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer had said China had failed to roll back restrictions on exports of rare earth magnets. In the run-up to this week's talks, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that it had approved some applications for rare earth export licences. The problem for the US is that the Chinese side has wrested some advantage, especially by leveraging its strategy of weaponing its dominance in key sectors. Rare earth minerals and magnets is one such area, where the US is now desperate for concessions. Both sides have since claimed breaches on non-tariff pledges, but the Americans clearly seem more eager for a reconciliation, given the impact of the Chinese blockade on its key manufacturing sectors. These Chinese trade blockades are already impacting companies in other geographies. Hamamatsu-based small car maker Suzuki Motors, for instance, said last week it plans to suspend the production of its flagship Swift compact hatchback due to China's rare earth restrictions, becoming the first Japanese automaker to be impacted. There are similar worries among other manufacturing entities across the world, including in the US. Anil Sasi is National Business Editor with the Indian Express and writes on business and finance issues. He has worked with The Hindu Business Line and Business Standard and is an alumnus of Delhi University. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal on Rare Earths, Student Visas, and Tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump declared that a new U.S.-China trade deal is "done," after two days of intensive talks in London. This will see China supply the United States with rare earth minerals and magnets—critical components for U.S. industries like electric vehicles and defense—up front. In exchange, the U.S. will allow Chinese students to study at American universities and promised certain tariff structures. Watch this report for more
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
USGA says no driver worry despite Scheffler, McIlroy test failures
The USGA has no concerns over rules compliance at this week's US Open despite Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy's drivers failing tests last month, CEO Mike Whan said Wednesday. Scheffler and McIlroy's clubs were found non-compliant ahead of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. World number one Scheffler went on to win the title, but McIlroy finished tied for 47th and has been struggling to find a replacement. McIlroy was upset that news of his driver test leaked to the public but other results, like Scheffler's, did not. "I can tell you as a rules body, if we had concern about this 'incredible' advantage, we would change the degree in which we test," said US Golf Association boss Whan. "If we saw a trend that was alarming in terms of either how many or how far they were moving beyond, we would change the way we approach it. But with what we're seeing... the juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze." The testing measures the time a ball spends on a driver club face and that typically grows with wear and use. "In terms of what happened at the PGA Championship, it made us more committed to not wanting to have this be the topic of the town," Whan said. "When you talk about a rules violation or somebody who's playing with a hot driver, that gets so much more sensational than the reality." There will be testing this week ahead of the 125th US Open at Oakmont, but it is the least of players' worries compared to the sloped, lightning-fast greens and thick rough on the iconic layout. The rough is already to the point where they are worrying about lost balls. "We have plenty of spotters," USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer said. "No guarantees we won't lose a golf ball or two, but we're going to do everything we possibly can not to do so." This year's purse will be the same as last year's payout, the USGA announced, at $21.5 million overall with $4.3 million to the winner. Crowds of about 40,000 people a day are expected during the tournament. Whan also said he met on Tuesday with golf stakeholders such as manufacturers about USGA ball rule changes to pull back distance, saying: "I'm encouraged by the collaborative nature of the discussions." Whan, a member of the official world golf rankings board, said he was unaware of Saudi-backed LIV Golf submitting a new plan to have its events earn ranking points. "I know there has been dialogue with LIV about the concept of resubmitting," Whan said. "But I don't think that has happened." js/iwd/jc
