OFFICIAL NOW: Man United complete new owner as Club announce official takeover today – New takeover finally completed
Mercedes Formula 1 chief Toto Wolff spoke to Sir Jim Ratcliffe about getting involved in a Manchester United takeover alongside the billionaire back in 2023. Ratcliffe’s takeover was confirmed by the club on Christmas Eve that year but now Wolff has turned his attention to another big-money investment.
The Austrian has been team principal at Mercedes since 2013 but is now looking to take a stake in another F1 team, Alpine. A number of celebrity investors have their own minority stake in Otro Capital, whose 24 percent stake in Alpine is reportedly being eyed in a bid led by Wolff.
According to The Telegraph, private equity firm Otro value their stake at just under £450million. Alpine adviser Flavio Briatore previously indicated former Red Bull F1 chief Christian Horner was also considering a bid for the same shares in the team.
Otro took its 24 percent stake in Alpine in 2023. According to a release from the team’s majority owners Renault, several sportsmen served as ‘premier investors’ in Otro – among them former Premier League footballers Juan Mata and Trent Alexander-Arnold, boxing champion Anthony Joshua and world No.2 golfer Rory McIlroy.
In the same month that Otro’s stake in Alpine was confirmed, Wolff opened up on his discussions with Ratcliffe, whose Ineos Group serves as a principal partner of Mercedes F1. “Jim has shared the trajectory with me. I very much respect his values and we trust each other,” he told the Press Association at the time.
“I have never aimed for trophy investments but I like the competitiveness of the Premier League. Jim and Manchester United is a love story because he is born there.
“Our personal relationship is strong and with [Mercedes-Benz chief executive] Ola Kallenius, they call us the Three Amigos because we live in the no-nonsense world. If we felt I could contribute then I would consider joining him at Manchester United.”
Rory McIlroy playing golf in 2026
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Rory McIlroy was listed as a ‘premier investor’ in Otro(Image: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Ratcliffe’s minority ownership of United was made official before the end of the 2023/24 season, with the Glazer family remaining majority owners. The British businessman has been in charge of the club’s football affairs, appointing senior backroom staff including CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.
United finished eighth in the Premier League in the season when Ratcliffe joined, before dropping to 15th last term. This season, though, they sit third in the table after 29 games and have Champions League qualification in their own hands.
