F1 News: Christian Horner's blocked Alpine takeover allows 'unwanted' mystery buyer to step in

Horner in Red Bull kit looking down at his phone — Photo: © IMAGO

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Christian Horner's blocked Alpine takeover allows 'unwanted' mystery buyer to step in

Renault headache

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Saturday 19 September 2026 20:55 Updated: 13:46

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Renault could be left with a headache following their move to block Christian Horner buying the Alpine team.

The French team are still largely controlled by car company, but it has been a 24 per cent stake in the team from Otro Capital that has been an interest in recent times.

To Christian Horner, it was a route back into F1. The former Red Bull team boss wants a return to the sport in the form of ownership of the team, and saw buying Otro's stake through a consortium as a way of gaining momentum to eventually purchase the team off Renault.

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However, Renault had a veto in any stake of Alpine being sold up until earlier this month, and blocked Horner from bidding.

The three-year clause is now up though and that means that while Horner is now free to buy the 24 per cent stake again, other parties could now pounce.

The share that was valued at $200m at the time when purchased in 2023, could now be worth triple that figure given the rising valuation of F1.

But F1 journalist Joe Saward believes with little expectation of Horner getting overall control at Alpine, another buyer Renault could not want may purchase Otro's stake, despite not having a single clue about F1.

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Renault don't want new buyer

Saward said on the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 podcast: “I don’t know if it’ll be a great watershed.

“They raised a pile of money and gave away 24 per cent, which wasn’t really worth anything, because you don’t get control of anything with 24 per cent.

“Nine months ago, Otro Capital said, ‘Right, we want to cash in now, because Formula 1 valuations have gone up. We want to double, triple, quadruple our money. We want to sell our 24%.’

“There was a clause in the contract that meant that Renault had a right to veto the deal. That ran out on September 8th. As of this week, they can sell it.

“There is a buyer out there, a wealthy American with nothing to do with Formula 1, but I don’t know who he is. He will pay Otro Capital a load of money.

“Renault don’t want that to happen, but this guy doesn’t care. He doesn’t want control, he just wants to make a bunch of money… No interest. Could barely recognise a Formula 1 car if it ran him over…

“That’s why Christian Horner is not going to be the buyer, because Christian Horner doesn’t want to buy 24% he has no control over. No point. Renault is not willing to sell the whole team. That’s where we’re at.

“I’m fully expecting an announcement very soon that Otro is out and another guy, whoever he is, is in. That’s the bottom line.”