Driving investments
Not content with his ventures in soccer, alcohol, telecoms and — of course — acting, Ryan Reynolds has expanded his portfolio to include a stake in the Formula 1 team Alpine. The Hollywood A-lister, alongside his Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney and actor Michael B. Jordan, joined an investor group in taking a 24% equity stake in the Formula 1 team in a €200m deal ($218m), valuing the team at ~$908m.
Alpine, which is owned by French automaker Renault, currently sits mid-table in the constructors' title race. For the owners, the deal seems like a no-brainer. Even if not involved in the day to day, the investment from Reynolds and co might bring a celebrity spotlight onto the team — just as Renault tries to raise the visibility of its Alpine electric vehicle line.
Zooming out
The deal comes during a period of growth for the sport as a whole. Since its acquisition by Liberty Media in 2017, Formula 1 has been reinvigorated.
Partnering with Netflix for the gripping docu-series "Drive to Survive", Liberty has looked to grow the sport’s footprint in the US. New races like the Miami Grand Prix, which debuted in 2022, and the upcoming inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix have brought a legion of American fans.
A burgeoning race calendar, and growing global audience, have filled the coffers of F1’s owners. The group's revenue reached $2.6 billion last year — up nearly $800m since Liberty Media's acquisition. Some 45% of that revenue gets split amongst the teams according to performance, size and longevity in the sport. If Reynolds can replicate his success with Wrexham at Alpine, his foray into the world of Formula 1 could be a masterstroke.
