Marko hints at another name change for AlphaTauri

Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko has suggested that AlphaTauri could undergo another name change in the future.

At the end of the 2019 season, the Faenza-based outfit switched its identity from Scuderia Toro Rosso to AlphaTauri, the name of Red Bull's fashion line affiliate.

However, the clothing line hasn't encountered the success that was projected by Red Bull, with the F1 team doing little to impact the company's sales.

With the AlphaTauri brand now only present in just a handful of countries, Red Bull is mulling once again a name change for its sister outfit.

"It is something we are reconsidering," Marko told Dutch website RacingNews365.

"It is logical too. The branding of AlphaTauri has been scaled back somewhat because only in a few countries where we race AlphaTauri is actually sold. It is about three to four countries only.

"The task is simple. More money must be brought in and results improved."

Earlier this month, German website Auto Motor und Sport reported that Red Bull's new top brass who had succeeded Dietrich Mateschitz after the latter's passing last year were pondering either a relocation of AlphaTauri to the UK or an outright sale of the team.

Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko acknowledged that AlphaTauri was under scrutiny by Red Bull's executives due to the team's poor campaign in 2022.

A report commissioned by Oliver Mintzlaff, the company's recently appointed CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments, on Red Bull's marketing investments allegedly shed a dim light on AlphaTauri and on the team's marketing value.

• Read also: AlphaTauri lands new marketing head to boost team fortunes

However, an outright sale of the team is an option that now appears to be off the table according to team boss Franz Tost.

"I had some very good meetings with Oliver Mintzlaff, who confirmed that the shareholders will not sell Scuderia AlphaTauri, and that Red Bull will continue supporting the team in the future," Tost stated.

As the squad strives to shore up its finances, AlphaTauri announced last week that it had created a new 'head of commercial' position within the team's management, a responsibility entrusted to Lars Stegelmann.

The German was previously chief commercial officer of the Motorsport Network, and later managed the sales team at ITR, the DTM Series organiser until 2022.

He also worked on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the European football association UEFA, and the original sales and marketing concept, development and implementation of the all-electric ABB FIA Formula E championship.

"Interest in Formula 1 has developed extremely well," Tost explained. "With the support of Lars, we also want to develop our commercial activities,

"He has an exciting mix of strategic know-how, international sales experience and a great understanding of the advertising industry."

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