It is an open secret that former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner wants to make a comeback in Formula 1. For several months, he has reportedly been eyeing a minority stake in Alpine, hoping to secure a leadership role at the Enstone-based team. He reportedly aspires to a similar position as Toto Wolff, who is not only team principal but also CEO and shareholder of Mercedes’ F1 team. The latter, however, is also said to be interested in the Alpine stake. Will Wolff thwart his old rival?
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Horner has been eyeing Otro Capital’s share package for some time. The investment group has owned 24 percent of Alpine’s shares for several years but reportedly wants to sell them now. Top advisor Flavio Briatore confirmed during the team presentation that Horner is one of the parties currently negotiating with Otro. However, the sale must be approved by parent company Renault, which is the majority shareholder in the team.
Toto Wolff thwarting Horner?
According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, however, there are more contenders in the field. Horner is said to face competition from Toto Wolff, who is also trying to acquire the shares of Otro Capital. Alpine has had close ties with Mercedes since this year; the French team races with engines and gearboxes from the German manufacturer. A spokesperson declined to elaborate further on the rumors: “Mercedes is an important strategic partner of Alpine and we are kept informed of the latest developments.”
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With these rumors, an old feud flares up: Christian Horner and Toto Wolff were long-time arch-rivals. Red Bull under Horner constantly sought confrontation with Wolff’s Mercedes, and vice versa. Particularly during the title battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, but also during Verstappen’s later dominance and Mercedes’ interest in the Dutchman, both team principals were diametrically opposed.
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