Tost refutes AlphaTauri sale rumors after Red Bull meetings

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has held meetings with Red Bull senior management that led to him being reassured the team will not be sold.

Reports in German media during pre-season testing claimed the Red Bull shareholders were unhappy about the return from AlphaTauri after it finished ninth in the constructors’ championship last season, and that it was open to selling the team. A number of teams and manufacturers have expressed an interest in entering F1 over the past 12 months, including Andretti and Porsche.

Following the reports last week, Tost (pictured center, above) says he has spoken to Oliver Mintzlaff -- the Red Bull GmbH CEO of corporate projects and new investments -- and been told a sale is not being entertained.

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“I had some very good meetings with Oliver Mintzlaff, who confirmed that the shareholders will not sell Scuderia AlphaTauri, and that Red Bull will continue supporting the team in the future,” Tost said. “All these rumors have no foundation, and the team has to remain focused for the start of the season to perform better than last year.”

AlphaTauri is a fashion brand that Red Bull owns and was chosen as the new team identity in 2020, having previously run under the Toro Rosso banner. The team provides opportunities to inexperienced drivers within the Red Bull setup with the intention of promoting them to the senior team, and has run the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo in the past.

There is currently an open process for new teams to register their interest in joining the F1 grid with the FIA, with up to two slots available but no obligation for any potential entries to be accepted.