From Toro Rosso to Scuderia AlphaTauri – the name changed, but the performance declined. And since then, it has been a downward journey for Red Bull’s sister team in F1. In June, Helmut Marko announced that AlphaTauri would be rebranded in 2024, with new owners coming on board. And as per the latest reports, an entirely new entity will be making its entry in F1 by taking over AlphaTauri. For them, it’s good news, but for Michael Andretti, it is an insult to injury.
Michael Andretti has been trying hard for 2 years to get his team into F1. But the resistance that he’s encountering from the current teams on the grid is immense. And to rub salt in his wounds, the latest reports suggest that the $5.65 billion worth brand Hugo Boss is in the mix to take over RB’s sister concern with no resistance against them.
⚠️ | If a deal is struck between AlphaTauri and Hugo Boss, the team would likely compete as 𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗼 𝗕𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴.
There is even talk of Boss buying the entire Red Bull clothing brand AlphaTauri.
Current sponsor Orlen is also said to be interested in taking… pic.twitter.com/pM9z76WdUj
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) August 3, 2023
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AlphaTauri would be rebranded to Hugo Boss Bulls Racing. And it’s not just their F1 team over which they would lose control. Hugo Boss is also reported to show an interest in buying out their clothing brand. Alongside them, in the mix for taking over the team, is their current sponsor Orlen. But, considering that the luxury fashion house is in the same space as AlphaTauri, they might have the edge.
Read More: Why Did Toro Rosso Change Its Name and What Does AlphaTauri Mean?
If this deal goes through, though, it will be the first time Hugo Boss races in F1, it won’t be the first time that the luxury brand has been associated with F1.
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Hugo Boss Boasts of Rich History With the F1 World As It Looks To Establish Itself On the Grid
The Luxury brand had the longest sponsorship in sports history with the McLaren F1 team, for over 3 decades – from 1981 to 2014. In 2015, they shifted to sponsoring Mercedes for a period of 2 years before leaving the sport altogether in 2017 to become a part of Formula E instead.
In 2017, previous CEO Mark Langer told German magazine Focus that the deal was ending because “Formula E is more innovative and sustainable”, as reported by Reuters. But in 2022, they announced a comeback to F1 with Aston Martin. They provided the team apparel from 2023 and the deal goes on till 2025 (which could be a matter of concern if the AlphaTauri takeover plans are for 2024).
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So, Hugo Boss has vast experience in the dynamic world of F1. If they choose to race as Hugo Boss Bulls Racing, it would be the first time that they would be on the grid, not as a sponsor but as a racing team.