Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Rory McIlroy are among the new investors that have joined Otro Capital’s investment group in Alpine. Here’s what you need to know:
- Otro Capital was part of the investor group that included Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and RedBird Capital Partners that bought a 24 percent stake in Alpine, which was announced in late June.
- Other investors joining the group include British boxer Anthony Joshua, Liverpool FC’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Spanish soccer player Juan Mata and Roger Ehrenberg (who is an investor in the Miami Marlins and Real Salt Lake).
Why this matters
Why this matters
As Alexander-Arnold highlighted in his statement, “F1 is facing incredible growth as a sport.”A perfect storm formed during the COVID-19 pandemic as the content creator economy boomed and Netflix released a season of “Drive to Survive,” creating rapid growth in the fanbase. The sport has continued to expand, welcoming new races like the Miami GP in 2022 and the Las Vegas GP next month, and next year’s calendar features 24 race weekends.
And given that when Renault rebranded as Alpine a few years ago it set out a 100-race plan to be a front-runner by 2025, these new high-profile investors should help bolster Alpine’s visibility outside of the usual F1 fanbase. According to the press release, “the new investors will help drive global awareness for Alpine F1 and will further complement Otro Capital’s contributions in areas such as media, sponsorship, ticketing, hospitality, commercial rights management, licensing and merchandising.”
With five grands prix and a couple of sprint races to go, Alpine sits sixth in the standings and faces a 129-point gap to fifth-place McLaren.
What the new investors had to say
What the new investors had to say
Mahomes, who attended the Miami Grand Prix earlier this year, said in the press release, “The opportunity to lead an investor group with Travis in Alpine F1 alongside Otro Capital was one I couldn’t pass up. It’s an exciting time for the sport and this is an opportunity to bring our shared values to the world stage.”
For Alexander-Arnold, though, the investment is a bit more personal as he joins the group with his brother Tyler. “Having been to Formula 1 races as a fan, I love the high-pressure environment of the paddock and I’ve seen firsthand how incredibly impressive the Alpine team is.”
Rory McIlroy said, “Passion for excellence on the golf course has led me to admire the same pursuit in Formula 1. Partnering with Otro Capital in Alpine F1 is an exhilarating venture that unites my love for sports, competition, and the relentless drive to be the best.”