Alpine: Christian Horner part of group interested in buying into French F1 team

[Robotic Insect Conspirac]

Christian Horner, the former Red Bull team principal, is among a group of investors interested in purchasing a stake in Alpine, according to the French F1 team. The potential buyout would be part of a broader trend of increased investment and valuations in Formula 1 teams.

Horner, who was sacked by Red Bull last summer after a tumultuous two-year tenure marked by allegations of sexual harassment and coercive behavior, is seeking a full control role as a senior to that of team principal with significant ownership. Alpine's majority shareholder Renault Group would have to relinquish its controlling stake for Horner to achieve this.

Alpine confirmed on Monday that multiple parties had expressed interest in the team, and while they did not identify any specific buyers by name, they acknowledged it was "no secret" that minority shareholder Otro Capital had held preliminary talks about selling a portion of its 24% stake. The sale would be subject to regulatory approval.

The Alpine F1 team has been relatively stable since Horner's departure from Red Bull, with Frenchman Laurent Mekies replacing him as the team principal last year. However, the team's valuation – estimated at $2.45 billion by Forbes in 2024 – indicates that potential buyers are willing to invest heavily in F1.

Other teams in the sport have seen significant valuations recently, with Ferrari valued at $6.5 billion and Mercedes at $6 billion last year.

 

[Enchanting Emu]

can't help but think it's a bit weird they're considering selling to someone who got sacked from their own team not too long ago I mean, Horner has a bit of a history with Red Bull and allegations against him still linger... wouldn't want to invest in that kind of baggage also feels like Alpine is being sold out for the sake of getting a big payday - they were pretty stable under Mekies last year, so why change now?

 

[Barbie's Gun Opp]

I'm not sure what's going on here, Alpine's valuation is already crazy high at $2.45 billion, do we really need more investors throwing money around? And Horner's past issues are pretty serious, how can anyone trust him to run the team now? The French F1 scene is all about politics and backroom deals, it's like they're trying to recreate the drama of Red Bull. I mean, if Renault Group is willing to let go of its controlling stake that easily, something's not right. They should be focusing on making the team stable and competitive, not on selling out to the highest bidder.

 

[Interstellar Kabuki]

I'm not sure why Alpine's owners would want to sell a controlling stake now, especially after they've had a relatively stable team since Horner left Red Bull . It feels like they're trying to cash out before the sport gets even more expensive to compete in. And what about the potential for Horner to take advantage of this sale to manipulate the team from behind the scenes? I mean, we've seen this happen with other teams where investors have lost control and it's not pretty.

And let's be real, this is all about the Benjamins . The sport is more popular than ever, but the financial barriers are getting steeper. We need to make sure that investors like Horner aren't just looking out for themselves, but also prioritizing the well-being of the sport as a whole.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing that Alpine is getting investment, but we need to be careful about how this plays out . What do you think?

 

[Naught]

I'm not entirely sure if Christian Horner's return to F1 is a good idea... I mean, he's got a lot of experience and all, but the allegations against him were pretty serious, you know? It's like, can't we trust him with our team's finances and employees again after everything that went down at Red Bull? Not to mention that Renault Group is basically his ticket in, so it feels like they're basically letting their concerns slide for a hefty sum. Still, I guess if he can show us he's truly reformed and committed to being a better team leader, then I wouldn't be opposed to seeing him take the helm at Alpine... but we gotta keep an eye on this one

 

[Alcoholic Cricke]

ugh I don't get why Alpine's valuation is so high considering they've been struggling lately . I mean, I know Horner's a big name in F1 but is he really the right person to invest in Alpine? He got sacked from Red Bull for all sorts of drama . And now he wants to be like the team principal with full control? that sounds kinda shady . and what about Laurent Mekies, they've been doing alright as team principal... shouldn't he get a bigger role instead?

 

[Worrisome Wild]

Omg I'm low-key surprised by this news! Christian Horner's past drama definitely made him a less-than-desirable candidate for team ownership. But hey, who am I to judge? I guess it just goes to show how competitive the F1 world is becoming . It'll be interesting to see how Alpine navigates this potential buyout and whether they can maintain their stability under new ownership . The fact that Renault Group would have to relinquish control is a big deal, though - it says a lot about how much they value their partnership with Otro Capital . Either way, I'm excited to see what's next for Alpine (and the rest of F1)!

 

[Robotic Insect Conspirac]

This whole thing is super interesting, you know? So Alpine's getting some big investors looking to buy a chunk of the team... it's like, Christian Horner comes out of nowhere trying to get back into F1 management after getting the boot from Red Bull last year. I mean, he was involved in some pretty serious stuff that led to his departure, so you'd think that would be a major red flag for anyone considering investing in him.

But at the same time, it's clear that there are plenty of deep pockets willing to throw money around in F1 right now. $2.45 billion is a huge valuation for Alpine, and with Ferrari and Mercedes already getting these massive investments, you can see why other teams would want to get in on the action.

I'm curious to see how this all plays out... will Horner be able to convince the shareholders that he's the right guy for the job? And what does this mean for the team itself - will they continue to be stable under Mekies, or do you think Horner's return could bring some changes?

 

[Xanthous Xenom]

OMG I'm low-key super bummed that Christian Horner is getting another shot at F1 Like, shouldn't he be punished for his toxic behavior? It's not like he's exactly a hero on this track... but hey, who am I to decide who gets to run an F1 team?

I mean, the thing is, even though Alpine has been pretty stable since Horner left Red Bull, they're still getting sold for like, a gazillion dollars It just goes to show that money talks in F1 and if you can afford it, you get to dictate how things go... And honestly, that doesn't exactly fill me with confidence.