Aston Martin ownership structure changes as new F1 investment secured

Aston Martin is to sell a portion of their Formula 1 team to the multi-billion dollar private investment firm Arctos Partners.

The Silverstone-based team has not disclosed how much the share was bought for or even how big the percentage was but has confirmed it is a minority shareholding in AMR Holdings GP Limited only, and not parent company Aston Martin Lagonda. Aston Martin predicts the deal to be closed by the end of the year.

According to the Financial Times, the investment would value the F1 team at £1 billion.

It is the first time Aston Martin has taken on new investors under their current guise with the team’s origins dating back to 2018 when Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll led a consortium of investors to takeover existing outfit Force India, renaming it Racing Point.

In 2020, Stroll invested £182 million into the Aston Martin car company, becoming executive chairman, and the F1 team was renamed Aston Martin for the 2021 season.

As well as the financial benefit, Aston says Arctos will provide “deep sports industry knowledge and a robust network of influential relationships to support its continued growth.” The US-based investment firm has a number of other sporting ventures including MLB, the NBA, MLS, NHL, and European football.

Arctos has stakes in at least 20 different sports teams and disclosed assets of $6.64 billion as of the end of 2022.

Stroll said: “I am delighted to welcome Arctos Partners as a new partner and minority shareholder in the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team.

“As investors in several leading sports franchises, Arctos brings deep industry knowledge, and I am thrilled that Aston Martin will be joining such a prestigious portfolio. The team has enjoyed tremendous success this season with eight podium finishes and our biggest points haul as a team, but our collective ambition is greater.

“Arctos sees the potential and value of this project as we continue to build a world-class Formula 1 team. They share our vision for our ultra-luxury brand, and they are extremely passionate about the sport and its prospects.

“We are investing in infrastructure, people, and processes, and this is the perfect time to add strength in depth with the operational expertise and strategic experience of Arctos. Together, we will continue to drive this team forward and build an even brighter and successful future.”

Stroll has poured a significant amount of money into the F1 team, most notably with a £200 million addition to their factory next to the Silverstone circuit.

The team experienced an incredible jump in performance at the start of the 2023 season but mistakes made in the development programme have found them lagging behind as the season draws to a close.

Representatives for Arctos Partners declined to comment on the financial agreement reached between AMR GP and the new investors, or just how much of a percentage of the team has been transferred.

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