
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
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


Hans India
21 minutes ago
- Hans India
Trump Urges US Tech Firms to Stop Hiring Indians and Focus on American Jobs
Former US President Donald Trump spoke at an AI Summit in Washington, urging US tech companies to stop hiring Indians and instead create jobs in America. He said many firms hire tech workers from India and invest overseas despite high profits made in the US. Trump tied this message to his 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) mission, calling for American-first policies in hiring, production, and AI development. 'We want you to put America first,' he said. At the Summit, Trump signed three executive orders to boost AI in the US: Create a national strategy to support AI development. Promote neutral AI models developed with federal funds. Offer aid and incentives for fully American-made AI tools. He also warned that his administration would not back 'woke' AI models. Trump encouraged tech firms to build local AI data centers, making it easier to expand AI infrastructure within the country. He emphasized that winning the AI race requires a new kind of national loyalty and patriotism, especially in Silicon Valley and beyond.


NDTV
25 minutes ago
- NDTV
Who Is Priya Sachdev Kapur, Wife Of Late Businessman Sunjay Kapur, At Centre Of Rs 30,000 Crore Empire
Priya Sachdev Kapur, the wife of late businessman Sunjay Kapur, is at the centre of a growing dispute over control of a Rs 30,000-crore business empire. The spotlight turned towards the Delhi-born model-turned-investment professional on July 25 when Rani Kapur, the mother of Sunjay Kapur, wrote a letter to the company's board ahead of its annual general meeting. Identifying herself as the majority shareholder in the Sona Group, Rani Kapur alleged that she was 'compelled to sign various documents without explanation' after her son's death. The letter went on to accuse 'certain people' (believed to be a reference to Priya) of falsely claiming to represent the family. Who is Priya Sachdev Kapur? Born into a Delhi-based family, Priya is the daughter of automobile dealer Ashok Sachdev. She holds a degree in mathematics and business management from University College London (UCL), and also studied briefly at UCLA. Early in her career, Priya found herself in the limelight through modelling assignments. She also made a short-lived foray into Bollywood with a cameo in the 2005 film, Neal 'n' Nikki. According to her LinkedIn profile, she is currently the non-executive director at Sona Comstar and director at Aureus Investment, the Kapur family's investment firm. Priya began her professional journey in mergers and acquisitions at Credit Suisse First Boston in London, before returning to India to lead businesses across automotive retail, insurance, fashion and e-commerce, according to her LinkedIn profile. She later founded TSG International Marketing Pvt. Ltd. and co-created Rock N Shop, one of India's early luxury e-commerce platforms. She also leads Aureus Polo, a team established by her late husband, Sunjay Kapur. Priya's personal life has often drawn attention, beginning with her first marriage to American hotelier and businessman Vikram Chatwal. Their marriage seemed picture-perfect, but in an interview in May 2025, just weeks before Sunjay's death, Priya reflected on the emotional challenges she faced during that time. She recalled realising, around the 15th to 20th week of her pregnancy, that their relationship was not what she had envisioned. She said she stayed in the marriage for a while, hoping to make it work for herself and her unborn child. After five years, she decided to separate to focus on her and her daughter's well-being. The divorce was finalised in 2011 after a long custody battle, which she won. In 2017, she married Sunjay Kapur, who was earlier married to actress Karishma Kapoor. He died of a heart attack on June 12 during a polo match in England. Priya and Sunjay have a son, Azarias. Priya now faces public scrutiny and probably a bitter legal battle over succession and control in one of India's leading automobile families. As questions swirl around who holds authority over the Sona Group, all eyes remain on Priya.


NDTV
26 minutes ago
- NDTV
'Put America First': Trump's Big Warning To Tech Firms Against Hiring Indians
US President Donald Trump has criticised American technology companies like Google, Microsoft and Apple for hiring workers from India and outsourcing manufacturing to China. Speaking at the AI Summit in Washington, he urged them to focus on creating jobs for Americans. At an AI Summit in Washington, on Wednesday, Trump warned the companies that "those days are over", and said, "Many of our largest tech companies have reaped the blessings of American freedom while building their factories in China, hiring workers in India and slashing profits in Ireland, you know that." He added, "All the while dismissing and even censoring their fellow citizens right here at home. Under President Trump, those days are over." Trump encouraged the tech companies to adopt a more patriotic approach, "We need US technology companies to be all in for America. We want you to put America first. You have to do that. That's all we ask," per PTI. This comes in the backdrop of the US President signing three executive orders for boosting America's artificial intelligence sector. The first order, called "Winning the Race", aims to fast track AI infrastructure development in the country by easing regulations on data centres and digital facilities. The second order seeks that AI systems developed with federal funding must remain ideologically neutral. He said, "We are getting rid of woke," Trump said. "AI must be accurate and not influenced by ideology." He added that the administration will not support "woke" technology, and said earlier policies slowed down innovation by focussing on diversity and inclusion. The third order focuses on the export of US-built AI products and plans to reduce dependency on foreign platforms and supply chains. Trump said, "America is the country that started the AI race, and as president of the United States, I'm here today to declare that America is going to win it." He added, "Winning this competition will be a test of our capacities unlike anything since the dawn of the space age." Although there has been no official announcement, this adds to the growing uncertainty for Indian professionals working in areas such as software development, data science, and artificial intelligence.