Hollywood investment in Alpine illustrates F1’s strong financial health

Famously once a sport where fortunes could be drained away in a few short years, often with little or no return, Formula One, it appears, is finally making the numbers add up. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have stolen the headlines with their investment in the Alpine team but what speaks volumes is that the consortium of which they are part wanted into F1 to the tune of £157m in the first place.

Reynolds and McElhenney, having enjoyed success following their purchase of Wrexham in 2021, have been joined by fellow actor Michael B Jordan as co-investors in the 24% stake of Alpine. However, whereas with Wrexham it was a personal affair, it is clear there is a very serious business side to them putting money into F1.

The consortium includes RedBird Capital Partners, an investment management company with a growing portfolio of sporting acquisitions which it considers yield solid returns. It has the third‑largest stake in Fenway Sports Group, owner of the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool and a stakeholder in Milan and Toulouse.

As part of the sale Alpine, owned by Renault, was valued at $900m, giving strong credence to comments made recently by the Formula One chief executive, Stefano Domenicali, on the robust fiscal health of F1. “There were teams in the past that were sold for £1, now the market is offering almost billions to teams, and they are refusing that,” he said. “The more everyone is growing, the stronger the business platform that we are all working in.”

The growth of the sport over which Domenicali presides has ensured it finds itself in the position of offering an increasingly attractive proposition with a finite number of opportunities. There are only 10 teams – a number that is not likely to rise, if it does so at