Mercedes in Talks to Buy Stake in Alpine F1 Team

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Mercedes is one of multiple groups in talks to purchase the 24% stake in the Alpine Formula 1 team owned by the American private equity firm Otro Capital, Flavio Briatore, the de facto team boss of Alpine, revealed during a news conference at the Chinese Grand Prix. Otro Capital acquired the stake in 2023 along with other investors. Mercedes currently supplies engines and gearboxes to Alpine under a deal running until 2030.

Why it matters

The potential sale of Otro Capital's stake in Alpine adds an interesting twist, as Mercedes is both a key technical partner and now a potential partial owner of the team. This raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and the broader issue of 'A/B team co-ownership' in Formula 1, which some have argued undermines fairness and competitive balance in the sport.

The details

Briatore confirmed Mercedes' interest in buying the stake, but said the negotiation is with Mercedes, not team boss Toto Wolff specifically. Briatore also revealed that former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is among the other groups interested in acquiring the 24% stake. The 24% stake was originally bought by a consortium of three American firms in 2023, with Renault Group owning the remaining 76%.

• The Telegraph reported earlier this week that Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was leading the bid to buy the stake.
• Otro Capital has been looking to sell its stake in the Enstone-based Alpine team.

What’s next

If Mercedes does purchase the partial ownership of Alpine, it would not be the first time that one entity owns a stake in two F1 teams. The FIA and Formula 1 governing bodies will likely scrutinize the deal to ensure it complies with rules around multi-team ownership and conflicts of interest.