In a bizarre twist, Mercedes has emerged as a surprise bidder for the same stake in Alpine that former Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner is eyeing for his potential Formula 1 return.
According to Telegraph Sport, Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, is leading a bid to buy Otro Capital's 24% stake in the Enstone-based team. Mercedes already has an agreement to supply Alpine with its power units and gearboxes until the end of 2030.
It's unclear what a potential Mercedes buy-in would mean for Alpine, though it's likely that we'd see them become a feeder team to Mercedes, similar to how the Racing Bulls is Red Bull's sister team.
That could be a game-changer for F1, especially in what's shaping up to be a dominant year for Mercedes. That was evident from this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, where the team's pace saw George Russell pick up an impressive win down under.
As the report explains, "Taking such a significant stake in another team would probably mean further synergies between the two outfits and discussions about multi-team ownership."
"Although Mercedes, who enjoyed a one-two finish in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, would not own a controlling stake in Alpine – with Renault Group retaining 76 per cent – it would significantly strengthen the partnership between the two teams and potentially cause unrest among rivals."
It's unclear how much this stake in Alpine is actually worth, but experts have estimated it to be around $600 million. Otro Capital declined to comment on this latest twist, while a Mercedes spokesperson would only say, "Mercedes is a key strategic partner of Alpine, and we are being kept apprised of the latest developments."
As for Alpine, while the team acknowledged that they are "regularly approached and contacted by multiple parties and potential investors," the spokesperson added, "We do not comment on any specific names or individuals. Any discussions are not a matter for the team; they’re between the stakeholders and parties expressing an interest."
"The primary focus is the immediate task at hand, which is the start of the racing season and seeing a sustained recovery of performance on track."
Horner was fired from Red Bull last year following a reported internal power struggle, which came after a sexual harassment investigation in early 2024.
Horner, who steered Red Bull to eight Drivers' World Championships and six Constructors' World Championships, denied any wrongdoing and ultimately had his name cleared. However, that combined with the team's decline in form at the start of the 2025 season—and concerns about Max Verstappen triggering his exit clause due to poor performance—ultimately led to Horner's dismissal.
The former Red Bull Racing Team Principal is a longtime rival of Toto Wolff in the world of Formula 1, so the fact that they may once again butt heads in the battle to acquire Alpine is definitely interesting.