Source:REUTERS/Mark Peterson
[Saba Sports News] Toto Wolff has been revealed as the latest buyer in the bid for shares in the Alpine team, and this Mercedes team principal will once again face direct competition from former Red Bull chief Christian Horner. Currently, Alpine’s shareholders are considering selling their 24% stake in the team and have initiated preliminary discussions with multiple parties. As early as January this year, team executive advisor Flavio Briatore confirmed that Horner was leading an investment consortium participating in the bidding. Recent news indicates that Wolff has also submitted a bid, making this transaction a focal point of attention in the paddock. Some media believe that Wolff’s bid has an advantage. In recent years, Mercedes and Alpine have established a cooperative relationship, with the team currently using gearboxes and power units supplied by Mercedes. Previously, Alpine shut down its in-house power project in Viry-Châtillon and became a customer team for Mercedes. If Wolff acquires shares, this cooperative relationship may even develop further into a sister-team model.
The editor believes that if Wolff invests in the Alpine team, such a structure could spark new controversies. For a long time, there has been caution within F1 regarding one group controlling multiple teams. Similar discussions have often revolved around the Red Bull Group, which simultaneously owns both the Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri F1 teams.