AutoNation announces Formula One partnership with Alpine

AutoNation Inc. is partnering with Alpine to compete in Formula One, the companies said Tuesday.

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 the French sports-car maker 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, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 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.