Mexican billionaire Rafael Villagomez is currently working with Otmar Szafnauer on an ambitious project to enter Formula 1 as the twelfth team, but with a Plan B just in case…
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Owner of the Van Amersfoort Racing team, Villagomez wants to take his structure to a major new level by bringing it to the pinnacle of motorsport, relying on Szafnauer’s experience in F1 team management.
He explains that this idea remains conditional on a concrete opportunity, whether through the acquisition of an existing team or the creation of a new structure if a spot were to become available on the grid.
Team Mexico?
Despite this enthusiasm, the project faces a major obstacle: the current rules defined by the FIA and the Concorde Agreements limit the grid to eleven teams until 2030. In this context, the recent arrival of Cadillac F1 in 2026 further complicates any short-term expansion. Nevertheless, Villagomez remains optimistic and raises the possibility of a second Mexican-funded team emerging in F1, a first since the era of Hector Rebaque in the 1970s.
The project is based on solid foundations, as Van Amersfoort is already well established in feeder categories such as Formula 2, Formula 3, and Formula 4, which demonstrates a real long-term development ambition. However, given the FIA’s current reluctance to expand the grid, all options remain open. Villagomez does not rule out reorienting his ambitions towards other disciplines like IndyCar if an entry into Formula 1 proves impossible in the coming years.
The IndyCar alternative
As it stands, this project therefore remains more strategic than concrete, essentially depending on a regulatory evolution or a major commercial opportunity. Should no opportunity arise, the possibility of a fallback to IndyCar is therefore on the cards.
The American single-seater championship has seen a certain enthusiasm since its takeover by Roger Penske and seems more accessible for a private team supported by an investor, especially a North American one. Rafael Villagomez Jr, the owner’s son, could more easily compete in IndyCar than in F1, where the FIA’s super license requirements demand significant results that the Mexican driver is still far from achieving.
As for Szafnauer, the billionaire’s associate, he himself is American, even if he spent most of his Formula 1 career at the helm of Force India, Racing Point, Aston Martin, and Alpine. The IndyCar grid currently has 25 entries after the withdrawal of Prema Racing, the last European structure to have attempted the American adventure, and a new team would be welcome.
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