Mario Andretti said that his adopted country "can rescue the sport from its troubles" and should stage two races, not one, according to Paul Weaver of the London GUARDIAN. Andretti, responding to the news that NFL Miami Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross is in talks with financial backers in Qatar to buy out CVC Capital Partners' majority 35.5% stake in F1, said, "This is fabulous news and music to my ears. In America we have the mind-set to make things happen. It's a huge market. I can't see any negatives. A solid investment would spell stability for the sport. This is the perfect place to market and showcase F1. It would be a damn good thing. And it would mean more involvement from sponsors that are large corporations and have a global presence." Andretti is the official ambassador for the United States Grand Prix, which will be held in Austin for the fourth year in October. He said, "There would be room for two races in the U.S. The other one would have to be in New York or California. The weather is more accommodating in California. But New York has not yet given up on the idea." But Andretti feels the sport "could make itself more consumer-friendly." Andretti: "I think they've gone a bit overboard with the technical side of things. And I don't like to see drivers backing off to make their fuel last." He would "also like to see a leading American driver given a chance as a guest competitor" (GUARDIAN, 6/24).
