Briatore: Otro – a problem for Renault Group, not the team.

      A week ago, it became known that Mercedes had refused to continue participating in negotiations to acquire 24% of the shares of the Alpine F1 team owned by Otro Capital, as they considered the price requested by this investment fund to be inflated.

      At a press conference in Monaco, Flavio Briatore was asked to comment on the situation.

      "On one hand, Otro has nothing to do with our team. The founders of this fund acquired 24% of Alpine's shares two years ago, and now, as you know, they want to sell them," Briatore replied. "Negotiations were held with Toto Wolff, who represented the Mercedes side, but it seems that a few days ago the preliminary agreements fell through, and all negotiations ceased.

      What happened has nothing to do with the team. There is no pressure from the management of Renault Group regarding the situation with Otro's shares. It's only about this, and Renault is not creating any problems for the Alpine team.

      Why Toto exited the negotiations is very easy to explain. The price was too high. I think at some point, the people from Otro decided to raise the price. I believe that Toto acted and behaved very correctly throughout all the negotiations. I don't think the same can be said about the people from Otro."

      Briatore was also asked if negotiations were ongoing with Christian Horner, who had gathered a consortium of investors also interested in this share of stock.

      "I have already said that Otro is a problem for Renault Group, not the team. Negotiations are ongoing with different people, including at one point with Christian," Flavio confirmed. "Personally, I would be satisfied with any solution found by Renault. But whoever buys this share from Otro must get the consent of Renault.

      It seems to me that people find it hard to agree to spend 600 million on a minority stake in a company if there is no agreement with the majority shareholders. The political meaning of what is happening is unclear to me, and at the moment, nothing will come of it.

      Honestly, I can say I would be happy to work with anyone. But the thing is, I don't know if Christian is still involved in some consortium that either wants to buy this share or not. For me, there would be no problems at all, especially with Christian.

      I have a great relationship with him; I have known him for 20 years, and together with Renault, I supplied him with engines, and we collaborated for five years. Everything was great; there were no problems. And now there is only one question, and it is related to Renault Group. And these topics should be discussed not with me, but with Renault."