Alpine in talks with potential new F1 teams: 'Lots of interest in F1'

Alpine is the new name of the former Renault, but it could be that the French team will no longer be active in F1 with Renault engines in the future. Marcin Budkowski tells The Race that they are also negotiating with new parties.

Interest in F1

Alpine is the sports brand under the umbrella of Renault, and so this blue brand was put forward for more name recognition in Formula 1. Yet it is not certain that Alpine will remain in the sport under this name for years to come, as Budkowski, the F1 team boss, reports that talks are being held with new parties.

''There’s people who are interested in entering the sport. Some of them have made themselves public (probably referring to the Volkswagen Group) and have been covered in the press over the past couple of years. Some of them have not looked for publicity or public knowledge'', says the Alpine team boss.

Takeover Alpine?

''There’s a lot of people interested in Formula 1 because it’s a great sport and hopefully it is going to become a sustainable and maybe profitable business with the cost cap and improved prize fund. So, there’s lots of interest. We have talked to prospective entrants. At the moment it hasn’t really borne fruit in terms of a new entrant", concludes Budkowski.

The Alpine team boss also leaves it a bit open what parties have been talking to him. He could refer to an engine supplier, but he also talks about new teams in Formula 1 who want to start in the sport. Setting up an F1-team from scratch is very difficult, Budkowski says. So those kind of investors will want to take over a team. Maybe Alpine? The team boss does not exclude it in any case.