Mercedes is officially among the candidates to acquire a major stake in Alpine, but the duel remains open with other contenders.
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Flavio Briatore confirmed that Mercedes was among the parties interested in purchasing 24 % of the shares of rival Alpine in Formula 1. This stake currently belongs to a group of private investors led by the American company Otro Capital.
Among these investors are famous names such as actors Ryan Reynolds and Michael B. Jordan, as well as American football stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
Rumors had suggested direct involvement by Toto Wolff in the matter, which would have placed Mercedes in direct confrontation with Christian Horner, former director of Red Bull. However, Briatore dismissed this idea, specifying that the discussions are being held with Mercedes as a company, and not with Wolff individually.
“Every day brings a new situation. I don’t know what the latest is, but what I can say is that I know it’s a negotiation with Mercedes. Not with Toto, with Mercedes, and we’ll see” Briatore explained to the press.
Several buyers in the running
The Italian executive recalled that several candidates are in the running for this stake, estimated at approximately 750 million dollars, while the total value of Alpine is close to 3 billion.
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“At the moment, we have three or four potential buyers. Don’t forget, these are Otro’s shares, nothing to do with Alpine. These are the shares held by this American fund, called Otro. They want to sell the 24 %, and a few candidates are ready to close the deal” he added.
Despite the importance of this transaction, Briatore does not wish to intervene personally.
“No, no, no, no. I’m just watching what’s happening and observing. For us, we have no communication with Toto for the moment. So, if someone buys the shares, we will be very happy” he concluded.
An advantage for Mercedes?
Mercedes could benefit from a strategic advantage, as it now supplies the new power units to Alpine. This position could facilitate a smooth integration in the event of a buyout, especially against other renowned contenders.
With this 750 million dollar deal and several heavyweight players in the race, the acquisition of Alpine’s shares could reshuffle the cards in the F1 paddock in the months to come.
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