It emerged early last month that the Faenza squad is to undergo a rebrand for next year. Selling the naming rights will enable the outfit to become more financially sustainable.
This comes after new Red Bull management - led by Oliver Mintzlaff after the death of company co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz - opted against a total sale of AlphaTauri.
Instead, the team will consolidate around its UK aerodynamics operation in Bicester and will closely align with Red Bull to lift itself off the foot of the constructors' championship.
As part of the overhaul, Red Bull leadership has chosen to act on its reservations that a 2020 name change - the team having previously ran as Toro Rosso since a 2006 F1 debut - had sufficiently boosted the profile of the AlphaTauri fashion label to remain economically justifiable.
The team plans to drop its current name from 2024 and replace it with a new permanent team and car name with Red Bull connections, while team CEO Peter Bayer confirmed it won't return to Toro Rosso.
As reported by Motorsport.com's Italian edition, it has now emerged that Hugo Boss has entered negotiations over a potential lucrative title sponsorship deal.
The current Aston Martin partner, and ex-McLaren sponsor, is seeking greater F1 exposure.
Should the deal go through, AlphaTauri will be likely be rebranded as ‘Boss’ - the guise of its Aston backing, which is contracted until 2025 - or ‘Boss Orange’ in deference to the specific clothing line.
Hugo Boss CEO Daniel Grieder, who took control of the company in 2021, was previously at Tommy Hilfiger, which works in close partnership with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes.
AlphaTauri CEO Bayer told Motorsport.com: "We are discussing with several companies who are very interested in working with us in the future but at this time there is no information to be released.”
Addressing the title sponsorship speculation last month, outgoing team principal Franz Tost said: “The title sponsor is a very attractive one, and we will see then what the negotiations will bring in the next months.
“We are talking to different companies. Fortunately, there is a big interest.”
A rebrand for AlphaTauri will add to the major rejig of the team in time for 2024.
Alongside the infrastructure changes, outgoing Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies has been hired as team principal and former FIA secretary general Bayer has taken up the role of CEO.
Current AlphaTauri sponsor Orlen, whose logos feature prominently on the rear wing, mirrors and halo of the AT04 machine, has also been linked with a naming takeover.
