The sale of Otro Capital’s stake in Alpine is expected to be finalized at some point later this calendar year. However, Zak Brown sent a letter to Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the FIA to raise an issue over Mercedes potentially buying a stake in Alpine.
The McLaren team boss is not a fan of his team's direct rival gaining another advantage that he sees as unfair. Brown’s hope is that by raising this concern, it may influence the outcome of Mercedes even being allowed to purchase Otro Capital’s stake.
Even if the sale were to go through, it is not as big of a problem as Brown is making it out to be. Purchasing only 24% would make Mercedes a minority owner, so their influence on more important decisions may still be limited.
The F1 precedent supports Mercedes
As far as Mercedes having a second team, there is no issue either, given the fact that Red Bull GmbH has owned Red Bull and Racing Bulls for multiple decades now. Although it may not have been a significant issue in 2006, nobody prominent is calling for Red Bull to sell Racing Bulls in 2026, either.
Given that precedent, there is no valid reason to deny the Silver Arrows a stake in Alpine. Brown’s words lie largely in his concern about a McLaren rival, whom he believes could further what is already a large advantage over the rest of the grid.
However, McLaren and Brown are more than welcome to purchase another team that is lower down in the pecking order as well. But at the end of the day, his letter is no surprise. Him choosing to be vocal in this case is yet another example of a Formula 1 team principal stirring the pot with another team to make headlines.
Brown’s comments will have no impact on Toto Wolff and other investors in the consortium as they come toward a decision. Nevertheless, the two-decade-long dual ownership from Red Bull GmbH is a perfect example of why there is no issue with Mercedes purchasing a stake in Alpine to begin with.
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