Alpine F1 team has confirmed that former Red Bull principal Christian Horner is part of a group interested in purchasing a stake in the French outfit. The disclosure follows preliminary talks by minority shareholder Otro Capital to sell its 24% holding. Horner, sacked from Red Bull last summer, seeks a significant role in any potential return to the sport.
The Alpine Formula 1 team issued a statement acknowledging interest from a group linked to Christian Horner, the 52-year-old former Red Bull team principal, among multiple parties exploring investments. Published nine hours ago by BBC Sport, the confirmation notes that discussions involve existing shareholders Otro Capital, which acquired its 24% stake in 2023 for 200 million euros (then £171 million), and Renault Group with 76%. Otro Capital's deal valued Alpine at approximately £706 million at the time, though recent team valuations have surged; for instance, McLaren reached £3.5 billion and Mercedes £4.6 billion in ownership changes, with Forbes estimating Alpine at $2.45 billion last year.
Horner was dismissed from Red Bull last summer amid a performance decline for the former champions and nearly two years of internal strife, including denied allegations of sexual harassment that two investigations cleared. Under his 20-year tenure, Red Bull secured eight drivers' titles and six constructors' championships. Key departures in 2024 included chief technical officer Adrian Newey, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, and head of strategy Will Courtenay. Laurent Mekies replaced Horner, leading to a form recovery where Max Verstappen narrowly missed the 2025 drivers' title, finishing two points behind McLaren's Lando Norris.
Verstappen reflected positively, telling BBC Sport: "I always had a great relationship with Christian and still to this day, a lot of people, we appreciate what he has done for the team." He added that prolonged success can necessitate management changes when direction falters.
Alpine emphasized that approaches are directed at shareholders, not executive adviser Flavio Briatore or the team directly. Briatore confirmed the interest at the A526 launch, addressing rumors of Horner negotiating a return via the 24% stake. Sources indicate Horner desires full control and a senior role, which a minority buy-in may not provide unless Renault relinquishes majority ownership. With Formula 1's rapid growth, such investor interest is unsurprising amid rising team valuations.