‘Widespread belief’ that £700m F1 team could now be sold in the ‘next few years’

Follow us on Google Discover

Owning a Formula 1 team has become more and more lucrative in recent years with the sport’s popularity booming.

A serious increase in the popularity of F1 coincided with the release of Drive to Survive and with three races in the United States and an ever-expanding calendar encompassing more and more of the world, it’s unlikely to slow down any time soon.

On top of this, joining the Formula 1 circus has become increasingly more difficult.

Andretti believed they would be the 11th team on the grid at the beginning of the year after having an application with the FIA approved.

However, Formula One Management rejected their entry and a new Concorde Agreement could make another entry much more expensive if not impossible.

It means the value of the 10 current teams has increased exponentially and a report from The Race suggests that one manufacturer may look to cash in at some point in the future.

Alpine have just made a game-changing decision for the 2026 season after another indifferent campaign.

When the new regulations are introduced to F1 after the next season, Alpine will begin using Mercedes power units.

However, that might not be the only change that takes place within the Anglo-French team going forward.

‘Widespread belief’ within F1 that Alpine could be sold in the ‘next few years’

Alpine sacrificing their factory status in the paddock to become a customer team in just over a year is not a decision many people with long-term ambitions in Formula 1 would take.

Formula 1 is incredibly expensive even with the recent addition of a budget cap, especially when designing and developing your own power unit.

However, it’s also a competition and existing purely to make up the numbers isn’t something that Alpine – or their parent company Renault – should be settling for.

The report from The Race suggests that Renault’s decision to start using Mercedes engines has led to ‘widespread belief’ with the F1 paddock that Renault CEO Luca de Meo and his chief advisor Flavio Briatore will look to sell the outfit in the ‘next few years’.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Alpine’s F1 executive adviser Flavio Briatore

The £700m-valued F1 team splitting the work done in their engine department in Viry with what’s happening at the factory in Enstone would certainly simplify that process.

Senior Alpine figures have denied sale talks when talking to their staff at Enstone, but openly advertising that they would be willing to consider offers only devalues their assets.

Talking about the prospect of selling Alpine, new team principal Oliver Oakes recently said: “I know everybody likes to write that he wants to sell the team, which isn’t true.

“He’s always been very firm that he’s in F1 for the long-term, and you can see really how passionate he is about this project, and I’m grateful to have him.”

Alpine set for prize money windfall after incredible Sao Paulo Grand Prix result

If Alpine are concerned about raising money then they’ll be delighted with how the last race before the final break in the season ended.

The Sao Paulo Grand Prix saw Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly both finish on the podium, catapulting them up the standings.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

The French outfit climbed from 9th to 6th in the Constructors’ Championship and Briatore believes it could earn Alpine nearly £30m.

With the cost cap becoming increasingly difficult to abide by, particularly for teams who regularly have millions of pounds in crash damage to fix, that income boost could be pivotal to the work Alpine do on their car for next season.

However, if they’re not thinking about the long-term future of the team – even if the Mercedes engine deal runs until at least the 2030 season – then securing the highest finish possible in the championship in the upcoming seasons may take priority.