Rory McIlroy among sports stars to invest in Alpine Formula One team

London — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, American Football tight-end Travis Kelce and golfer Rory McIlroy have joined a cast of top athletes investing in the Renault-owned Alpine Formula One team.

Otro Capital, who bought into the team in June with RedBird Capital Partners and Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, announced additions to its investment group on Tuesday.

They include former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua and soccer players Trent Alexander-Arnold and Juan Mata. Roger Ehrenberg, an investor in the Miami Marlins baseball team and Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake, is also involved.

“These are best-in-class investors, athletes, entertainers and entrepreneurs and they are all committed to elevating the Alpine F1 team,” said Otro Capital co-founder Alec Scheiner.

Otro said they will help to complement work in media, sponsorship, ticketing, hospitality, commercial rights management, licensing and merchandising.

The announcement comes in the week of the US Grand Prix at Austin, Texas, and with a night race in Las Vegas set for November.

“I’ve always had a passion for all sports. The opportunity to lead an investor group with Travis in Alpine F1 alongside Otro Capital was one I couldn’t pass up,” it quoted Mahomes as saying.

“It’s an exciting time for the sport and this is an opportunity to bring our shared values to the world stage. I’m looking forward to being a part of its growth.”

Otro is part of an investor group that paid €200m for a 24% equity stake in Alpine. The deal valued the British-based team at about $900m.

RedBird, run by former Goldman Sachs banker Gerry Cardinale, is an investor in Fenway Sports, the owner of Premier League side Liverpool and the Boston Red Sox baseball team.

Alpine are now sixth in the Formula One constructors’ standings.

Reuters