While exact figures have not been disclosed, Aston Martin has reported on the eve of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix that Arctos Partners has acquired a “minority shareholding in AMR Holdings GP Limited, the team’s holding company”. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2023.
According to the Financial Times, this investment values the team at £1 billion. Earlier this year, Alpine sold a 24% stake in its F1 team to a consortium - which included actors and Wrexham AFC owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney - that equated to the Enstone operation being worth £725 million.
Arctos Partners will provide Aston Martin with “deep sports industry knowledge, and a robust network of influential relationships to support its continued growth”. In August, the private equity firm was also reportedly working on securing a minority stake in top-flight French football club Paris Saint-Germain.
Team owner Lawrence Stroll said: “I am delighted to welcome Arctos Partners as a new partner and minority shareholder in the Aston Martin Formula 1 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 see 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.”
The future of the Aston Martin F1 team has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks, with the most noise surrounding whether Stroll is exploring a total sale of the outfit he purchased in 2018 (then Force India, renamed as Racing Point) and rebranded to Aston Martin in 2021.
However, Arctos Partners sees this as the start of a “long-term partnership” with Stroll.
Managing partner Doc O’Connor said: “We look forward to collaborating with Aston Martin and view the opportunity as the beginning of a long-term partnership with Lawrence and the entire organisation.
“This investment is consistent with our firm’s strategy, which focuses on backing leading sports brands across North America and Europe.
“We will provide extensive resources to enhance [the team’s] reach and brand, including industry intelligence sourced from our proprietary quantitative research and data science platform.”
Aston Martin, which moved into its new £200m Silverstone factory earlier this year, is fighting with McLaren to score fourth in the constructors’ championship.
