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Toto Wolff joining Christian Horner in race for Alpine? Why the stake is so attractive The 24% stake that Otro Capital holds in Alpine’s Formula 1 team remains highly sought after in the paddock. It had already emerged that former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was interested, something Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore certainly did not try to hide either. During the team's launch in January, he publicly confirmed Horner’s interest. Around the season opener in Melbourne, however, another bidder has emerged. As first reported by The Telegraph, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff appears to have entered the race. Briatore had previously emphasised there were several interested parties besides the consortium linked to Horner, but did not mention any names – and therefore did not explicitly refer to Mercedes. When contacted by Motorsport.com, Alpine still didn’t want to comment on specific names, but once more confirmed that several parties are interested and that the process is still ongoing. “The team is regularly approached and contacted by multiple parties and potential investors,” a team spokesperson said. “We do not comment on any specific names or individuals in question. Any discussions are not a matter for the team, they’re between the current stakeholders and parties expressing an interest. The primary focus for the team is the immediate task at hand which is the start of the racing season and seeing a sustained recovery of performance on track.” Mercedes has not denied Wolff’s interest in the Alpine shares and instead confirmed that it always keeps an eye open for strategic opportunities: “Mercedes is a key strategic partner of Alpine and we are being kept apprised of the latest developments.#mercedes #christian_horner #toto_wolff #alpine #otro_capital

Toto Wolff bids to buy Alpine stake in move that renews Christian Horner battle Mercedes has emerged as a surprise bidder for the same 24 percent stake in Alpine that Christian Horner is known to be interested in, according to Telegraph Sport. The move, led by Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, adds another layer to the ongoing rivalry between Wolff and Horner, with potential implications for the future of the Formula 1 teams. Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s executive adviser, confirmed Horner’s interest in the stake earlier this year, noting that multiple groups were considering the purchase. However, Briatore did not disclose that Mercedes F1 was among the interested parties. The stake, owned by Otro Capital—a private equity firm with celebrity investors including Anthony Joshua, Rory McIlroy, and Trent Alexander-Arnold—is valued between £1.5 billion and £1.86 billion. At 24 percent, the stake would be worth approximately £448 million. Wolff’s interest in acquiring the stake is significant given the existing partnership between Mercedes and Alpine. The German manufacturer already supplies Alpine with power units and gearboxes until 2030, and a larger stake could lead to further collaboration or discussions about shared ownership. While Mercedes would not gain control of Alpine, owning a significant portion could strengthen the partnership and potentially disrupt rival teams. Red Bull’s dual ownership of two teams has long been a contentious issue in F1, with McLaren’s Zak Brown criticizing the arrangement for creating unfair advantages. If Mercedes and Alpine pursue a deal, it could reignite debates about the fairness of such partnerships.#christian_horner #toto_wolff #alpine #flavio_briatore #mercedes_f1

The litmus test for Lindblad after his rapid rise to F1 Arvid Lindblad’s ascent to Formula 1 has seemed almost inevitable, even before former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner mentioned him in dispatches during that fraught period in late 2024 when Sergio Perez’s future hung in the balance. His rise up the career ladder has been electrifyingly quick: this year will be only his fourth full season of single-seater racing. Over the past quarter-century, just a handful of other drivers have reached the top tier with this kind of rapidity: think Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen. Lindblad was born just a couple of months after Vettel became the youngest-ever driver to score a point in F1, when he stood in for the injured Robert Kubica at the 2007 US Grand Prix at Indianapolis, aged just 19. Red Bull pounced and Vettel duly became a full-time F1 driver at the Hungarian GP that August with Toro Rosso, forerunner of the Racing Bulls squad in which Lindblad is making his debut. Arvid grew up in leafy Surrey and went to school in Guildford, the son of a Swedish father and a mother of Indian heritage. His father had done some motocross in his youth, but four-wheeled sport became Lindblad Jr’s metier after some early arrive-and-drive experiences at nearby Sandown Park, the kart track that nestles incongruously within the horse racing course. He proved quick enough to catch the eye of professionals and soon joined the Zip team founded by the late Martin Hines, mentor to the likes of David Coulthard and Lewis Hamilton. One of his coaches was Oliver Rowland, then an up-and-coming GP2 racer, now a Formula E champion.#red_bull #max_verstappen #arvid_lindblad #formula_1 #christian_horner

Adrian Newey's fascination with Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari SF-26 at the Australian Grand Prix has sparked renewed interest in the rivalry between Mercedes and Ferrari, while Toto Wolff's potential bid for Alpine's stake adds another layer to the Formula 1 landscape. The Aston Martin chief was spotted closely examining Hamilton's Ferrari during the race weekend, a practice consistent with Newey's reputation for analyzing rival teams' designs. This moment coincided with growing speculation about Wolff's involvement in the Alpine stake auction, where he faces competition from Christian Horner. Alpine, which had previously expressed interest in Horner's return to F1, now finds itself at the center of a high-stakes bidding war. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen's frustration with the 2026 car's handling was revealed through untelevised team radio snippets. The Red Bull driver described the new regulations as "super frustrating to drive," a sentiment echoed by his engineer, GianPiero Lambiase, who quipped that front-runners were "elated" by the situation. Verstappen's struggles continued as he finished sixth after crashing out of qualifying. Aston Martin's partnership with Honda has also faced scrutiny, with Lawrence Stroll admitting the team's performance this season has been "very unexpected." Despite the arrival of Newey and Honda, the team has struggled with pace and reliability, raising questions about the effectiveness of the alliance. Oscar Piastri's crash during the Australian Grand Prix added another twist to the weekend's events. Untelevised team radio revealed that his battery was "completely empty" moments before the incident, which occurred during a reconnaissance lap. Piastri had previously cited a sudden 100-kilowatt power surge as a contributing factor to his early exit.#adrian_newey #lewis_hamilton #toto_wolff #ferrari_sf_26 #alpine

Toto Wolff Linked to Alpine Stake Amid Mercedes Two-Team Strategy The BWT Alpine Formula One Team is now at the center of a story that extends beyond a simple financial move. According to multiple sources, including British media and specialist outlets, Toto Wolff is leading an offer to acquire the 24% stake held by Otro Capital in Alpine F1 Team. This shareholding has already attracted several bidders, including a consortium linked to Christian Horner, highlighting the team’s growing value in the Formula 1 paddock. At first glance, the investment appears standard, given the team’s valuation has surged since the budget cap era began. However, the strategic implications are significant. A Mercedes stake in Alpine could create a two-team ecosystem akin to Red Bull’s model, where a main team competes for titles and a sister structure serves as a development platform. This approach allows manufacturers to gather extensive technical data and test drivers under real racing conditions, which Mercedes currently lacks through its partnerships with McLaren and Williams. The interest in Alpine is particularly notable because of its technical ties to Mercedes. Since 2026, Alpine has used Mercedes power units and gearboxes, following the end of Renault’s engine program. This relationship has strengthened the technical link between the two entities, making a Mercedes stake in Alpine a strategic move. The 24% stake, originally purchased by Otro Capital and its partners for around €200 million in 2023, is now estimated to be worth over €500 million, with the team’s total valuation ranging between €1.7 and €2 billion. The Red Bull model, which has been central to the German manufacturer’s success for nearly two decades, offers a blueprint for Mercedes.#christian_horner #toto_wolff #otro_capital #alpine_f1_team #renault_group