$ALPINE Why Wolff and Horner are interested in Alpine F1 shares
The 24% stake that Otero Capital has in the Alpine Formula 1 team is highly sought after in the paddock. It had already emerged that former Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, was interested, something that Alpine's executive advisor, Flavio Britore, certainly did not try to hide. During the team's debut in January, he publicly confirmed Horner's interest.
Close to the start of the season in Melbourne, however, another offer emerged. As first reported by The Telegraph, it seems that Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, has entered the race. Britore had already insisted that there are several interested parties beyond the consortium linked to Horner, but did not name any – and thus did not explicitly mention Mercedes.
When approached by Autosport, Alpine did not want to comment on specific names but confirmed once again that several interested parties are interested and that the process is still ongoing.
“The team is regularly approached by various parties and potential investors,” said a team spokesperson.
“We are not commenting on specific names or individuals. Any discussion is not the team's business; it is between current partners and the parties that express interest. The team's main focus is the immediate task, which is the start of the racing season and seeing a continued recovery of on-track performance.”
Mercedes did not deny Wolff's interest in Alpine's stake and instead confirmed that it is always attentive to strategic opportunities: “Mercedes is an important strategic partner of Alpine, and we are attentive to the latest developments.”
Why the Alpine stake is so attractive to both
Although the story is quickly tied to another chapter in the rivalry between Horner and Wolff in the public's eyes, it actually goes beyond that – and mainly concerns strategic interests.
For Horner, the Otro stake could offer a perfect way to return to F1.