Alpine Confirms Horner Co-Ownership Interest; Red Bull Picks Aggressive Barcelona Tyre Allocation

Alpine has officially acknowledged Christian Horner's interest in acquiring a significant stake in the team, potentially purchasing Otro Capital's 24% share. Meanwhile, Pirelli has released the tyre allocations for the upcoming Barcelona pre-season test, revealing a fascinating strategic split between the grid's top contenders.

Why it matters:

Horner’s potential arrival as a co-owner would signal a massive shift in Alpine's trajectory, injecting championship-winning expertise into their management structure. On the track, the divergent tyre selections between Red Bull and Ferrari provide an early, tangible look at how different philosophies are tackling the new 2026 regulations and car concepts.

The details:

• Ownership Speculation: Flavio Briatore addressed the swirling rumors during the A526 launch, prompting Alpine to confirm that the former Red Bull team principal is indeed interested in a minority stake.
• Red Bull’s Aggression: Red Bull has opted for an extreme allocation, taking 18 sets of the C3 soft tyre and completely bypassing the C2 medium compound.
• Ferrari’s Caution: The Scuderia has taken the opposite approach, selecting only three sets of softs while stocking up on 12 sets of the C2 medium to focus on long-run consistency.
• Test Conditions: Teams will run on C1, C2, and C3 compounds at Montmeló, with intermediates and wets also available if rain disrupts the three-day schedule.

What's next:

The Barcelona test will serve as a critical reality check for these strategies. While Red Bull looks to maximize short-lap performance data, Ferrari aims to build a solid foundation for race pace. Off-track, the paddock will be watching closely to see if Horner’s interest solidifies into a formal deal that could reshape Alpine's future.