I understand 100% on why you dont like an Alpine powered Cadillac F1 car, even for a couple of years. I share the same sentiments.
But its a faster learning curve. F1 bosses ask what Cadillac has to offer, but Cadillac asks the same of F1. Cadillac and GM need a return of investment as well.
F1 engines and the computer contolled suspension technologies are not the same with the other General Motors racing leagues that GM is involved in. To engineer a 1.6 liter V6 Formula One engine from the ground up and be succesful with it getting a couple of podiums will take a looong time, let alone to have it be reliable...
Corvette Racing in IMSA , Cadillac Racing in IMSA , and Chevrolet in Indy and Nascar with the "Camaro" already have the tools and software to analyse what engine speeds and RPMs are necessary in the curves of the specific race circuits. What suspension tunings are needed at the various race tracks etc... So that learning curve WILL be done by the Cadillac race team WITH Andretti and his team's expertise.
Its the knowledge of what kind of 1.6 liter V6 engine is needed to compete on the FIRST day of RACING DAY that Alpine's involvement will be needed for those first two years. Cadillac has the expertise to whip an engine just like that, but when Mercedes and Ferrari and all others are waaaaaay past engine development and are at the stage of trying to cheat the rules is where a new team, not only Cadillac, is at a disadvantage.
I liken that situation as how the NHL does its expansion teams. Each existing team gets to protect a certain amount of forwards and defensemen and 1 goalie. And the expansion team picks the unprotected players from the league and gets to have a competing team from the moment the puck drops from the expansion team's first game. What is an expansion team to do? Suit up also-rans, has-beens and 18 year olds and years of finishing last to rely on draft picks? It wouldnt be fun for the expansion team's fan base to see their team lose and lose and lose and lose some more for 4-5-6...10 years before the expansion team could field a contender?
IMSA, when Aston Martin and then with Ford, sandbagged the other racing teams so that the newcomers have a chance to win. Im sure Mercedes or Ferrari wont be thrilled by having restricter plates on their engines to restrict horsepower so Cadillac could have a chance to win if Cadillac were to engineer an engine on their own for the first year...
To put it another way...I as a Bruins fan...was PISSED to have lost Jeremy Lauzon to the Seattle Kraken. Or Colin Miller to Las Vegas. But...as a hockey fan, it was fun seeing Las Vegas go to the Cup final in the first year or seeing the moves they made to be competitive 2 years later. Ditto for the Kraken. The Kraken are not too shabby. Sucks for teams like Anaheim, San Jose and Vancouver... But hey...Seattle and Las Vegas had to pay a shyte load of money to the other NHL owners. They have to fill the seats with fans. Wouldnt be in the interest of the rest of the NHL, the NHLPA, the Kraken and the Knights to have the Knights and Kraken lose and have the new stadiums empty if the NHL operated as how Formula One seems to want to operate...
Not eloquent what I said. Possibly too long and wordy. I had a great way to explain myself yesterday...but the site was down...
You guys get this post instead...