FIA president questions multi-ownership model amid Mercedes-Alpine links

After beginning a new partnership this year by supplying power units to the French outfit, Mercedes has been linked with a potential move for the 24% Alpine stake currently owned by Otro Capital - the same shares also reportedly eyed by Christian Horner.

Recently, Toto Wolff addressed the matter directly, insisting that “us looking at that stake is in no connection with Christian. And the idea that there is a rivalry between Christian and me around who buys an Alpine stake is made up.”

As reported by Reuters, the FIA president suggested that minority investments could still be acceptable as long as they are not used to block competitors or gain additional influence over regulatory matters. However, he also made it clear that, from his personal point of view, owning stakes in multiple Formula 1 teams is not the right direction for the sport, while admitting the topic remains a particularly complex area that is still being evaluated.

Zak Brown, who has been openly critical of multi-ownership structures in Formula 1 for years, also raised concerns over the recent rumours surrounding Alpine shares and potential links with Mercedes. The McLaren CEO warned that increasingly close relationships between teams risk undermining both the sporting fairness and integrity of Formula 1, arguing fans ultimately want to believe all 11 teams are operating independently rather than under shared interests.

Brown pointed to several past examples that, in his view, highlighted the dangers of excessive collaboration between teams, including on-track situations that appeared to benefit affiliated outfits, previous intellectual property controversies, and the growing movement of staff between connected organisations.

He also stressed that easier transfers of personnel between linked teams can create both financial and sporting advantages under the cost cap era, particularly when employees move without the same restrictions or compensation typically required elsewhere in the paddock. To reinforce his point, Brown compared the situation to football, suggesting it would be difficult to accept two teams with the same ownership competing directly against each other while potentially having conflicting sporting interests.