McLaren Racing has reached a ‘new milestone’. CEO Zak Brown confirmed this weekend that the stock sale, which was speculated about earlier this month, has been fully completed. A new deal with Mumtalakat and CYVN Holdings now values the racing team at a whopping 4.1 billion dollars. The sale not only determines the future of McLaren, but also underscores broader developments within Formula 1.
The agreement signifies the departure of investment firm MSP Sports Capital and other minority shareholders. The Bahraini state investment fund Mumtalakat and Abu Dhabi-based CYVN Holdings now jointly own 100% of McLaren Racing. Zak Brown refers to it as a ‘milestone’ that strengthens the team both sportingly and commercially. “The deal is done,” he confirmed to Bloomberg. Now that McLaren’s ownership is more concentrated, the team can act more flexibly and quickly – without the delays that multiple shareholders bring.
The timing of the transaction is telling. McLaren became constructors’ champion for the first time in a long time in 2024 and also started the 2025 season strongly. These performances have not only driven up the value of the team, but also increased its appeal to investors. Now that the lines between management and investors are shorter than ever, McLaren expects to be able to operate more decisively. Without external directors, the company can also adopt sharper strategies.
‘Formula 1 is on fire’
The deal fits into a broader trend within Formula 1, where investment funds from the Gulf states are strengthening their position in the sport. According to Brown, this confirms that the sport is at a new peak. “The sport is running at full speed,” he explained. “Not too long ago, Liberty Media took over and introduced the cost cap, which guarantees financial stability and competitiveness. In addition, we have hundreds of millions of fans, sponsors, and partners – the sport is truly on fire. Let’s hope it stays that way for a long time.”
While some analysts suggest that valuations in Formula 1 have reached their ceiling, Brown disagrees. “If you look at sport in general, everything is only going uphill,” said the American. “Every time a new deal is signed, in any sport, everyone says: ‘Oh, that’s madness’. And then you look back five years later and see that the value has only increased. So there is still plenty of room to grow in Formula 1. We have 24 Grands Prix, but the demand is much greater.”
“Our car is sponsored by the best brands in the world – Mastercard, Google, and so on,” Brown focused on McLaren. “In addition, the competition is great. Last year, four teams won races, seven different drivers took multiple victories. I’ve never seen that in my thirty years in the sport. The competition is fantastic, not to mention the excitement off the track, which is captured by Netflix. I think the sport is just getting started in many ways.”
