- Alpine interim team principal Bruno Famin says decision on Andretti entry needs to be made before resuming agreement
- FIA can order supplier with fewest customer teams to provide engines
The Alpine Formula One team have confirmed their pre-contract agreement with Andretti has expired.
When the US-based team first announced their intention to enter Formula One, an agreement was signed with Alpine for the supply of engines, as well as any additional car parts that may or may not be required.
Due to the time it has taken for Andretti’s bid to be approved by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the option has now expired.
“We had a pre-contract with Andretti, which has expired because they were supposed to be granted an F1 entry before a given date,” Alpine interim team principal Bruno Famin told Motorsport.com.
“It means right now, if we want to do something with Andretti, we need to negotiate a full contract, a formal contract. So right now, we have absolutely no contract with Andretti.”
It appears this deal would have been in place until General Motors was in a position to build its own Formula One engines.
Famin added: “Everybody knows what the situation is. We need something, and we need a decision from F1 before resuming with Andretti.”
If Andretti is approved on a commercial basis by Formula One Management (FOM), this agreement will likely be revisited, and it’s in Alpine’s best interests to arrange something that benefits them.
The FIA can order the engine supplier with the fewest customer teams – currently Alpine – to supply a Formula One team that needs an engine, which will be Andretti if they are accepted.
However, Famin admitted that things need to start progressing quickly if the French outfit is to commence a customer supply deal.
“I'm not talking about [only] Andretti, but we start the supply of parts for the season a very long time before,” he said.
“Of course, depending on what will be the situation, there are some things we will be able to do, and some others we won't be able to.
“But, for the time being, it's even useless talking about that, because let's see, we don't have the starting point.”