Red Bull have "no plans" to sell their AlphaTauri sister Formula 1 team despite speculation to the contrary.
A report from Germany claimed that the company is open to selling the team, which was previously branded as Toro Rosso and has been the sister team since 2006. But the team has told Mirror Sport that is would not be prepared to change its current operational structure right now.
A spokesperson told the Mirror that there are "no plans to change the current set up". They added: "Red Bull Technology supply components to AlphaTauri and Red Bull Powertrains works with and alongside their team.
The death of co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz last October saw his son Mark become 49 percent owner of the overall Red Bull company. Former RB Leipzig chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff was also moved across to oversee the company's Formula 1 project, which has enjoyed remarkable success of late.
But while Red Bull have been leading from the front, AlphaTauri's fortunes have gone the other way. The sister team finished ninth last season – a dismal campaign after so much progress in the couple of years prior to 2022 – and so speculation has suggested that the new management is unhappy at the situation.
Helmut Marko, Red Bull's long-time adviser who oversees the young driver programme, warned after the end of the 2022 season that the team's future might be reassessed. He said: "Where there is a need [for change] is AlphaTauri, this was not satisfactory in the past year.
"They were beaten below their value. For the potential, technically and financially, ninth place is not acceptable. They made a lot of mistakes in strategy. The car had too little downforce. At the moment we are in the process of taking stock and looking at which screws we have to turn."
It remains to be seen what changes, if any, will be made. The report on Saturday claimed that Red Bull might either sell the team or relocate it. It was suggested that it would be brought fully to the UK, rather than its current set-up with its HQ in Faenza, Italy, and its aerodynamics department in Bicester.
The report also said there would be three potential buyers for the AlphaTauri team right now, should Red Bull choose a sale. Hitech GP, which currently races in the junior categories and has a relationship with Red Bull already, was named alongside Andretti Autosport and the Mumbai Falcons Racing Team.
Current Red Bull engine partners Honda have signed up for the 2026 power unit regulations and would naturally be linked with setting up their own works team. But that appears unlikely to happen, and Marko also said recently: "When Honda comes back they need a top team – that can't be AlphaTauri."
