Mercedes confirmed as potential buyer in $750m Alpine stake talks

Flavio Briatore has confirmed Mercedes is in talks to purchase a 24% stake in the Alpine F1 team, currently held by a consortium of investors led by Otro Capital and valued at approximately $750 million. The Alpine executive revealed there are "three or four potential buyers" for the shares, clarifying that the negotiations involve the Mercedes corporate entity, not team principal Toto Wolff directly. This development follows earlier reports that Red Bull's Christian Horner had also held discussions about the stake, highlighting the high-profile interest in the Enstone-based team.

Why it matters:

A major investment by a manufacturer like Mercedes could significantly alter Alpine's trajectory and the broader F1 power dynamic. While Mercedes already supplies Alpine's power units from 2026, acquiring a substantial equity stake would create a unique and powerful technical partnership, potentially accelerating Alpine's climb up the grid. The outcome of these talks will test the valuation of an F1 team in the current market and signal how serious Mercedes is about expanding its influence beyond its own works team.

The details:

• The stake for sale represents 24% of the Alpine F1 team and is owned by a consortium led by the American private investment firm Otro Capital.
• Other notable investors in the Otro consortium include Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Michael B. Jordan, alongside NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
• Briatore explicitly stated the negotiation is "with Mercedes, not with Toto," distancing the talks from the personal involvement of team principal Toto Wolff.
• He emphasized the sale is solely related to the Otro Capital shares and "nothing to do with Alpine" or its majority owner, Renault, which retains a 76% controlling stake.
• The estimated $750 million price tag is based on an overall team valuation in the region of $3 billion.
• Briatore dismissed the idea of purchasing the stake himself, stating he is merely observing the process.

What's next:

The sale process appears to be moving into a more serious phase with multiple interested parties. A successful purchase by Mercedes would forge an unprecedented link between a works team and a major customer, raising immediate questions about the long-term independence and competitive future of the Alpine outfit. The final decision will reveal not only the buyer but also provide a clear benchmark for the financial value of a midfield F1 team in the sport's commercial boom era.