Briatore on Mercedes-Alpine Stake: '25% is Just a Passenger'

Flavio Briatore, Alpine's Executive Advisor, has downplayed potential conflict-of-interest concerns should Mercedes acquire a minority stake in the French team, stating a 25% shareholder is essentially "a passenger" with limited influence. He confirmed ongoing negotiations between Mercedes and current stakeholder Otro Capital for its 24% share, citing Red Bull's dual-team ownership as a precedent within the sport's existing framework.

Why it matters:

The potential for a leading manufacturer like Mercedes to hold a financial interest in a direct competitor raises immediate questions about governance, fair competition, and the sharing of sensitive information. Briatore's comments aim to preemptively neutralize these concerns by framing such an investment as a passive, non-controlling financial move rather than a strategic partnership, setting the narrative as negotiations advance.

The details:

• Briatore confirmed that Mercedes is in direct talks to purchase the 24% stake in Alpine currently held by the Otro Capital investor consortium, which joined in 2023.
• He emphasized that three or four parties are currently interested in the shares, indicating a competitive bidding process.
• On the question of influence, Briatore was blunt: "Normally one company, 75 per cent decide and the 25 per cent is a passenger, and this is the reality."
• He pointed to the Red Bull and Racing Bulls relationship as an established example of shared ownership operating within the sport for over a decade.

The big picture:

While FIA and FOM regulations do not explicitly ban cross-team ownership, they strictly prohibit arrangements that create a competitive advantage or allow the transfer of confidential data. The precedent exists, but it remains a delicate area subject to intense paddock scrutiny. Briatore's framing seeks to align a potential Mercedes investment with this accepted, if often debated, model of passive financial involvement rather than operational control.

What's next:

The negotiations for Otro Capital's stake will continue, with Mercedes being a publicly named suitor. The final deal will require careful structuring to satisfy both regulatory scrutiny and the sport's other stakeholders that no improper advantage is being conferred. Briatore's public comments are the first step in managing that perception, asserting that Alpine's competitive destiny will remain firmly in its own hands.