Andretti says control issues of F1 team ended Sauber talks

Andretti has been looking to expand his organization into F1 and was in negotiations with Sauber, which controls the Alfa Romeo team

IndyCar team owner Michael Andretti said on November 4 that “control issues at the 11th hour" derailed his bid to buy the Alfa Romeo team from Sauber but he has not given up on his attempt to acquire a Formula One team.

Andretti made his first public comments on the failed attempt, which had been a widely discussed topic surrounding F1's stop in Texas two weeks ago.

“I’d just like to put an end to some of these rumors that the deal fell through because of financial reasons. That couldn’t be further from the truth. That had nothing to do with that,” Andretti said. "It basically came down to control issues in the final hours of the negotiations. That’s what killed the deal. I’ve always said if the deal is not right, we’re not going to do it, and in the end it wasn’t right. So we continue to look for other opportunities.”