Horner considering a return?
“I would come back to seize the right opportunity, and I want to win, not just participate,” Christian Horner stated clearly regarding a possible return to Formula 1. In a recent interview with Australian television, he also suggested: “I would prefer to be a co-owner rather than an employee.”
All signs point to Alpine, a scenario that has also been confirmed in recent days by Flavio Briatore.
The 24% stake in Alpine
According to Sky Sports News, MSP Sports Capital is the primary backer of the Christian Horner-Alpine operation. The US fund, which exited McLaren Racing’s shareholding last year, is reportedly working with Horner and other investors to prepare an offer to Otro Capital to acquire 24% of the French team (the remaining 76% is held by Renault Group). An internal source at Alpine F1 has suggested that the overall valuation of the team is between $2 and $2.5 billion.
Who is MSP Sports Capital?
Founded in 2019, MSP Sports Capital is a New York-based private investment fund active in the X Games and football, with stakes in clubs such as Estoril Praia (Portugal), Alcorcon (Spain), Beveren (Belgium), Augsburg (Germany), and Brondby (Denmark). The fund previously held a share in Everton (England).
MSP Sports Capital entered McLaren Racing in 2020, investing $185 million for a 15% stake. The fund exited in September 2025, by which time McLaren Racing’s value had increased sixfold.
The potential arrival of such a seasoned investment group alongside a leader with Christian Horner’s winning pedigree suggests that Alpine could be entering a transformative new era. As the team looks to climb back toward the front of the grid, the combination of American capital and proven technical leadership might be exactly what the Enstone-based outfit needs to challenge the top three. Only time will tell if this deal crosses the finish line, but it would undoubtedly shift the competitive balance of the entire paddock.
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