P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes has reportedly backed away from buying a stake in Alpine over cost
Mercedes has reportedly pulled out of negotiations to buy Otro Capital’s minority share in the Alpine Formula 1 team due to cost concerns. The initial talks started earlier this year, and reached the stage of an agreement in principle with Renault, as per BBC. Otro was seeking £536m for their share in Alpine, which they acquired for £171m three years ago. This valuation was deemed too high by Mercedes, as the team’s performance declined significantly in recent years, dropping to the bottom of the constructors’ table in 2025. Mercedes valued Alpine at £1.6-£1.8 billion, contrasting Otro’s £2.2 billion appraisal. Prior to Mercedes pulling out, former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was also associated with a potential investment in Alpine. Renault chose not to pursue further discussions with Horner, who is now potentially linked with leading a BYD entry into F1. On a different note, Alpine announced a new title partnership with Gucci valued at £150m earlier this week.
