Speculation begins: Which car manufacturer is Szafnauer joining forces with in F1?

When Alfa Romeo stopped being the title sponsor for Sauber, which had just been purchased by Audi, Stellantis, their parent company, expressed concern about the sport's future. A few years ago, it was stated that perhaps at some point, Stellantis might decide to return to Formula 1. Since then, there has been radio silence from its headquarters in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands.

Among all the major manufacturers in F1, a Stellantis brand (such as Peugeot or Opel) would certainly not be out of place. Stellantis is, in fact, the world's fourth-largest car manufacturer, and for prestige alone, the company should be active in F1. Furthermore, John Elkann, an Italian who was formerly the CEO of Ferrari, leads the company.

Why does this manufacturer want to be in Formula 1, GPblog asked Otmar Szafnauer. To this, the American responded that for a car brand, motorsport is the best place to showcase itself - and not as a sponsor of another sport. This is exactly what KIA has been doing for a long time.

The South Koreans have been title sponsors in various sports, such as football and tennis. But in motorsport, the company doesn't play a significant role. Perhaps that's why the second largest auto company in South Korea is considering making a change, and why not start with F1? In 2010, KIA mentioned that Formula 1 was too soon, but maybe now is the right time.

Mazda is one of Japan's largest manufacturers, but it's hardly involved in motorsport. Although there are some spec-series with Mazdas in the United States, they don’t reach a broad audience. Mazda is a sponsor of various sports teams worldwide. While Honda and Toyota (through Haas F1) have made their way into Formula 1, it's conceivable that Hiroshima is contemplating F1.

Hyundai is active in rally sports and will soon join the World Endurance Championship. A few years ago, Formula 1 was also an option, but the focus was deliberately placed on endurance racing. But for South Korea's largest manufacturer, the necessity to also enter F1 may have arisen.

Admittedly, Hyundai is probably not the manufacturer Szafnauer is partnering with. But it's not entirely ruled out either.