Exclusive: Mario Andretti Q&A

This weekend sees Formula 1 return to the United States for the first time since 2007, when Lewis Hamilton stormed to only his second race victory for McLaren around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s infield circuit. Since then, F1’s only involvement east of Europe has resided solely in Canada and Brazil.

However, F1 in gearing up to return to the United States in style this weekend, at the country’s first ever purpose-built Formula 1 venue at the Circuit of the Americas. Eagerly anticipated for many months, the brand-new circuit has already raised many eyebrows within the paddock due its trademark elevation at Turn One.

As we prepare for what promises to be a sensationally exciting race weekend in Texas, I caught up with American motor sport legend (and ambassador of the new Circuit of the Americas) Mario Andretti, as we discussed the new circuit in Austin, F1 in America and Lewis Hamilton’s move to Mercedes...

Q: First of all Mario, many thanks for taking the time to talk to me.

Mario Andretti: My pleasure!

Q: You drove the first laps around the new Circuit of the Americas last month, what were your first impressions on the new circuit?

MA: Very positive, I’d describe the circuit as very technical and also a very typical Hermann Tilke circuit. It will be interesting to get the reactions from the other drivers. I spoke briefly with Jerome D’Ambrosio who drove the 2010 Lotus Formula 1 car as well for about four or five laps until the engine went and he thought some aspects could be interesting, we’ll just have to wait and see. The presentation of the track, all the safety all amenities are fabulous, they are really up to standard. It has some great qualities as far as the elevations, that puts character into the circuit. It has at least three I’d like to think good overtaking points per lap which could be interesting to see. So in general I’m very happy with the way the circuit has come out.

Q: Going back to the elevation of Turn One in particular, it’s already raised many eyebrows in the F1 paddock, how challenging do you think it will be for the drivers when they go into Turn One on the first lap with heavy fuel loads?

MA: Well I’m actually a bit concerned about the first lap mainly because it’s so slow, it looks to me like a first gear corner. You are doing a one-eighty, you are going up hill, very wide, very inviting to overtake and then all-of-a-sudden it chokes right up. I hope we don’t have an issue there at the start of the race, but it looks like it could be an issue, but it is what it is and the drivers will have to deal with it.

Q: The Circuit of the Americas is the first ever purpose-built F1 circuit in the United States. How do you think this will assist the image of F1 in the U.S., in comparison with the likes of NASCAR and IndyCar?

MA: This should be huge, obviously as you said it’s purpose-built, we here in the U.S. we have many classic road circuits throughout but none of them have ever kept up to the standards like the rest of the world. So finally we have one where you can clearly and openly host Formula 1, so that in itself should really strengthen the Formula 1 fan base, I think it creates a lot of curiosity from fans from other disciplines. IndyCar fans are Formula 1 fans because of the road racing aspect and even many NASCAR fans that I’ve talked to are interested in Formula 1, so overall to have an event which we can look forward to every year, have a solid base, I think it will make a huge difference here to cultivate even further the Formula 1 fans here in the U.S.

Q: Now you’ve driven on many of America’s most iconic circuits during your career, such as Long Beach and Watkins Glen. Are there any other tracks in the U.S. which you can compare the Circuit of the Americas to, or is this new track completely unique?

MA: Well the track is completely unique, I don’t think you could ever compare to tracks anywhere in the world, each track has its own character and so forth. Some of my favorites as far as layouts like Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin, Road America which is four-miles per lap and is fabulous as far as overtaking. From every drivers standpoint it’s got the slow bit, it’s got the fast bit and all of the characteristics that I think a driver likes. But it’s not up to standards, but here at least as far as the layout I’ll be very curious to get the reactions from the drivers once they start practicing.

Q: New Jersey have plans on also hosting a Formula 1 event, however the inaugural race has been postponed until 2014. How confident are you that a race will eventually be held around the streets of New Jersey and do you think it’s important that the U.S. once again hosts two F1 races in one season?

MA: Well first of all I don’t know if I can express confidence that that race will be on, I’ve been told by the principals that they’re working very hard and that they’re committed, so I have to take that for face value and I hope it does happen. And the second part of your question, can the U.S. host two races, I think absolutely! I mean look at NASCAR and the crowds that they draw, they have a race every week. So I don’t think that will be an issue, especially with the size of this country and so forth, having a race in the proximity of New York which is the financial centre of the world so to speak, I think it would bode very well for the sponsors and everything else.

Q: We saw an incredibly entertaining race last time out at Abu Dhabi, however which driver has impressed you most throughout this unique Formula 1 season?

MA: Well it’s pretty tough at this stage to bet against Sebastian [Vettel], he has shown enormous strength in the last few races especially. They [Red Bull] really found something, but the relentless Fernando Alonso is never to be counted out either, so it’s great to see that Fernando is maintaining a very positive attitude and ready to right to the very last lap. You could see this going on to the last race, but you could also see the World Champion crowned right here in Austin, so all of that is exciting from the standpoint of creating the buzz. It is great for Austin as well that there could be a protagonist for the World Championship at the first race at that venue. All of it is exciting. As you mentioned Abu Dhabi was just phenomenal, you had just about everything happening even some old-style retirements while leading. I was just talking to my assistant, do I ever commiserate and understand what Lewis Hamilton was going through in the last couple of races whilst leading and controlling the race. The same situation happened with me back in ’77, any one of the two races that I dropped out of big-time whilst leading would have meant a World Championship instead of third place so I know how devastating that can be, but at the same time it’s a benefit to someone else. After all of this it was great to see Kimi [Raikkonen] with a Lotus prevail, it was wonderful to see the brand in winners circle again and Kimi as well and his comeback. Many great things coming on and the fabulous drive from Sebastian but he was also aided a couple of times by the safety car situation so there were unbelievable things [were] happening in one hour and a half.

Q: Lewis Hamilton is going to Mercedes next season, what do you think of his decision to leave McLaren?

MA: Well it’s really difficult to comment on that, from where I stand I would never have done that, obviously. Mercedes have not proven to be a winning team at the moment and he is leaving a winning team, so he must know something. And on the other side I certainly hope, I would love, to see Mercedes be one of the top, one of the potential winners week in and week out. I think it’s a strong brand, it’s wonderful for Formula 1 and I think if they can start winning I think it will probably assure their continued support of Formula 1, again it has got all of these connotations to it. But going back to Lewis Hamilton’s decision, I hope he doesn’t regret it, that’s all.

Q: Sergio Perez is replacing Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, do you think Sergio Perez will fit in well with Jenson Button and the team?

MA: Well I’m sure that he will, he will be the junior driver but talk about a winner! I mean the winner out of this whole thing is Sergio Perez, to get a break like this to go from Sauber to McLaren is a dream come true for any young driver. He’s one for sure who can rejoice from this move by Lewis Hamilton, taking his seat.

Q: The first race around the Circuit of the Americas, as you said, could decide the World Championship between Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. How amazing would it be for the fans to witness the crowning of the Champion at the first race?

MA: It would be absolutely amazing, it would be great, it would be just another wonderful story about it. It would be history being made, the very first race at this circuit, the very first race of any kind. Having the ultimate motor sport discipline there and crowning a World Champion, are you kidding? History!

Q: And finally, who do you think deserves to win the 2012 Championship?

MA: Well it’s hard to put it into terms, I mean they all deserve it, everyone that’s up there in the play they all deserve it. The one thing I must say is that Fernando Alonso in some ways has fought a situation uphill throughout the entire season, his car is not a potential winner week in and week out but he has taken advantage, he has won two races and they were all under adverse conditions so he took advantage of every little bit that he could, as I said under different conditions, and you’ve got to give him a lot of credit for that and that’s why if he wins this Championship it could potentially be the most satisfying Championship for sure because of the way he fought for it!

Many thanks to Patty Reid, Amy Hollowbush and Mario Andretti for the communication and time taken to complete this interview.