May 02, 2023 12:47 PM

Renault's Alpine, U.S. dealer group AutoNation partner on Formula One

The No. 2 U.S. dealer group will sponsor the BWT Alpine Formula One team.

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen crosses the line to win the 2022 Formula One Miami Grand Prix.

AutoNation is partnering with Renault's Alpine sports-car brand to compete in Formula One.

The retailer will sponsor the BWT Alpine Formula One team in the Miami Grand Prix in Florida, AutoNation said in a statement.

"AutoNation and Alpine are connected in our love for cars, speed, and drive to win," Mike Manley, AutoNation CEO, said in the statement.

The racing partnership comes as Alpine prepares to expand into North America. The two companies are engaged in talks about U.S. retail opportunities, the statement said.

"AutoNation is a tremendous retailer with an industry-leading customer experience and is also an experienced partner in motorsports," Laurent Rossi, Alpine CEO, said. "This makes for a fantastic partnership in one of the most exciting markets in the world."

AutoNation ranks No. 2 on Automotive News' list of the top 150 dealership groups based in the U.S., with retail sales of 229,971 new vehicles in 2022.