Alpine breaks silence on Wolff-Horner 'bidding war' rumors for team stake

Alpine has issued its first official response to rumors of a potential 'bidding war' between Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Red Bull's Christian Horner for a minority stake in the struggling F1 team. The French squad emphasized its focus is on-track performance, while confirming it is regularly approached by potential investors. This comes amid broader paddock agreement that the new 2026 power unit regulations need urgent revision after their problematic debut in Melbourne.

Why it matters:

The involvement of F1's top team principals in Alpine's ownership saga highlights the team's underlying value and potential, despite its recent poor results. Any significant investment from a figure like Wolff or Horner could bring fresh expertise and influence, potentially accelerating Alpine's recovery. Simultaneously, the early consensus on revising the 2026 engines underscores a rare unity in F1 to fix a critical technical flaw before it destabilizes the new era.

The details:

• Alpine's statement confirmed the team is "regularly approached" by potential investors but refused to comment on "specific names," distancing the operational team from the stakeholder negotiations.
• The 24% stake in question is owned by Otro Capital, a private equity firm, with Renault retaining a controlling 76% share of the team.
• The rumors follow a confirmation from Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore that Otro Capital is looking to sell its share.
• Mercedes, which will become Alpine's power unit supplier in 2026, stated it is "being kept apprised" of developments at its "key strategic partner."
• Parallel Issue: Separately, the FIA and all 11 teams have reportedly agreed that the much-criticized 2026 power units need permanent revision after just one race, with a decision on short-term changes expected after the Chinese Grand Prix.

What's next:

While the ownership speculation will continue, Alpine's immediate challenge is reversing its on-track fortunes after a point-scoring but difficult start in Australia. The team's primary stated focus is a "sustained recovery of performance" for the rest of the season. The more pressing technical matter for the entire grid will be the post-China decision on how to address the 2026 power unit concerns, which could lead to significant mid-regulation adjustments.