Is AlphaTauri for sale?

It wasn't just the pre-season testing that enlivened the world of Formula 1 this week. Behind the scenes, rumors have already emerged as everyone prepares for the start of the season next Sunday in Bahrain (March 3-5). One of them concerns the lap Red Bull and the other stable of the house, Alpha Tauri.

According to our colleagues from the German bimonthly auto motor und sport (AMuS), the new management of the Austrian team would ask a lot of questions about the Italian team. The overseas media reports that the results and market value of AlphaTauri do not fully justify the amounts of money committed by the parent company.

In short, the latter would like the team based in Faenza (Italy) to move to England where Red Bull already has all its facilities near Milton Keynes. A relocation that would allow it to reduce costs. Otherwise, the reigning Manufacturers' world champion team would consider parting ways with it.

Red Bull's position

In Bahrain, the news spread quickly until reaching the ears of Dr Helmut Marko who was quick to react. Questioned by Sky Sport Germany, the Austrian team's special advisor suggested that AlphaTauri's recent performances could change Red Bull's plans in the future without mentioning a possible sale or relocation.

« We do not comment on rumors in general, points out the Austrian. It is also understandable that AlphaTauri is not satisfied with what it achieved last year, namely a ninth place in the Manufacturers' Championship. But such a decision is entirely up to the shareholders."

According to Helmut Marko, a sale of AlphaTauri is not on the agenda, especially when we know the importance of the Italian team. Created in 2006 under the name Toro Rosso (Red Bull in Italian) after the acquisition of Minardi and renamed in 2020, the second team of the Austrian giant has always served as a “junior team” to train future Red Bull drivers. However, the special advisor believes that AlphaTauri must also prove itself.

« Like I said, if the team isn't performing well, that doesn't help us either, continues Marko. You think about how to improve efficiency. And when you have one team winning the world championship and the other is just in ninth place, that means the synergies don't seem to be working properly. The overall result is not satisfactory. As respectable businessmen, our shareholders will make the right decision."

Can Red Bull really separate from AlphaTauri?

Right now, a sale still seems too far away. The season hasn't started yet and AlphaTauri still has everything to prove. Does Red Bull really have an interest in selling the Italian team to reduce costs? This would not be in accordance with the house project.

Red Bull-AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso), a relationship that has lasted for almost 20 years. ©DPPI/T. Bovy

The sister team has always been used to train academy drivers. World champions like Max Verstappen et Sebastian Vettel Grand Prix winners like Daniel Ricciardo et Pierre Gasly also.

By selling AlphaTauri, Red Bull would put a major brake on its Junior Team in which it has placed a lot of hope for years. If a sale were to take place, it would mean that young members of the academy, like Isack Hadjar or Ayumu Iwasa, would go directly from the F2 to the main team in the event of promotion to F1. Gone is the time for adaptation as their glorious predecessors were able to benefit from. Hard to believe it.

For the moment, it is hard to imagine Red Bull changing a philosophy that has pleased it so much in recent times. But you never know because in the world of Formula 1 everything always moves very quickly.

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