Frustrated Briatore opens door for Wolff and Horner to help breathe new life into Alpine

Wolff and Mercedes recently pulled out of a deal with Otro Capital to purchase 24% of the Alpine F1 Team and when asked about the matter, Briatore explained that the Austrian CEO and Mercedes team principal had been fair throughout the process.

Speaking at the Monaco F1 GP, Briatore said: "In one way, Otro is nothing to do with the team. Otro, its founders bought 24% of the team, Alpine, two years ago, and in the moment want to sell, like everybody knows. It was negotiated with Toto Wolff behind the Williams team, the Mercedes team. Looks like three days ago the agreement fell, all the negotiation. That’s basically what happened. It has nothing to do with the team. We don’t have any pressure from Renault Group regarding Otro. This is really the problem. Renault Group is not the problem of the Alpine team.

He then continued with explaining why Wolff and Mercedes pulled out of the deal. "Very easy. The price was too high. At one point, the guys build up the different price and I think… Toto was very fair. I believe it. I don’t think the Otro people are fair. Toto, in all the negotiations was very fair."

Horner was also among the people interested in purchasing Otro Capital's shares. Briatore would welcome the ex-Red Bull Racing team principal on board with open arms, and highlighted that they have a positive relationship.

"I’d be happy to work with anybody, honestly. I don’t think this is the point. I think the point in this moment is, I don’t know if Christian is involved in some group that want to buy or not. For me, welcome, I have zero problem, especially with Christian. I have a super relationship with Christian. I know him 20 years, and we worked together on the engine. I supplied the engine to him at the time with Renault, we called Nissan, and we were working for five years together. Super, zero problem. But this is only the question, guys, with Renault Group. You need to talk with Renault, not with me, honestly," he concluded.