Wolff firmly denies any Horner snub angle in ongoing Alpine stake talks

The battle to secure a 24% stake in the French outfit - currently still held by Otro Capital following its 2023 entry - remains wide open, with both Mercedes and the former Red Bull CEO and team principal having shown interest.

However, speaking to PA Sport, the Austrian dismissed any suggestion that a potential move would be driven by a desire to get one over his former rival.

“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. It would be quite sad if that was a consideration of doing such an investment or not.”

Wolff added that the situation is still being evaluated from multiple angles, with no final decision taken yet, as Mercedes continues to assess whether the move would make strategic sense.

Flavio Briatore has clarified that the ongoing talks are being held with Mercedes as a company rather than involving Toto Wolff directly, while also revealing that several other parties remain in the running to acquire the stake.

Addressing concerns over whether a potential Mercedes involvement could impact Alpine’s internal structure or shift the balance within forums such as the F1 Commission, Briatore played down the implications.

He pointed out that Red Bull has already set a precedent in this area over the past decade, and stressed that in most ownership structures the majority stakeholder retains control, with minority shareholders typically having limited influence on decision-making.