Alpine may be about to make Toto Wolff a very happy man and a lot richer
Toto Wolff could set to enjoy a major payday it has emerged.
Toto Wolff could be a significant beneficiary if Alpine decide to part ways with Renault from 2026.
According to motorsport.com, the team are considering splitting from the engine manufacturer in favour of striking a fresh deal with a rival company.
Following a tricky start to the season, Alpine are conducting an extensive review of their situation to try and identify their biggest issues and attempt to resolve any matters before it is too deep into the campaign.
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Their relationship with Renault has consequently been placed under the magnifying glass, with senior officials from both companies said to have been reviewing their recent performances.
Renault’s power unit is down in comparison to their rivals and there has been a lack of assurances in conversations about whether they will be able to improve before 2026 when their next generation turbo hybrids are expected to arrive.
A plan is now being drawn up which is will rule whether Renault will press on with their 2026 plans or change their working relationship with Alpine to make them a customer team. If Alpine decide to look elsewhere then several rival manufacturers will entertain talks with the team and attempt to negotiate a fruitful deal.
Mercedes are among those who could be considered an option. They have the capacity because Aston Martin opted to join forces with Honda from 2026. Any deal agreed with the British company is expected to be incredibly lucrative, and CEO Wolff could be very excited by the prospect of a fresh project.
The 52-year-old is a third-part owner of Mercedes and therefore having Alpine as a customer would see him enjoy quite the payday.
Red Bull could also be a team that Alpine look to strike a deal with as they are set to have their own power units in 2016. However, there are logistical complications with an agreement being reached as they would be supplying for three teams after itself and sister outfit RB.
Christian Horner has never shied away from talking up Red Bull’s chances of striking a customer deal further down the line, though he insisted last year that he hopes his team will establish themselves independently first before enrolling new customers.
