Aston Martin sells $1billion stake to Arctos Partners

On the eve of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the Aston Martin Formula 1 team has announced that it has sold a stake in its business to private equity firm Arctos Partners.

Formula One's Silverstone-based outfit has announced a new partnership with Arctos Partners, the sports-focused private equity group, and has also confirmed that the firm will also take a "minority shareholding" in AMR Holdings GP Limited, the team’s holding company.

As part of this new partnership, Arctos will provide Aston Martin "with deep sports industry knowledge, and a robust network of influential relationships to support its continued growth."

The investment in Aston Martin is expected to close by the end of the current year. The deal sees Arctos become the first and only professional investment platform approved to invest in multiple franchises across MLB, NBA, MLS, NHL, and European football, among other sports.

In the meantime, the months ahead will see the Silverstone-based squad complete its state-of-the-art AMR Technology Campus with the opening of a new wind tunnel and additional engineering facilities, with the team hoping that it will enable to continue the upwards tracectory it has started at the start of the current season.

Aston Martin Chairman Lawrence 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 see the potential and value of this project as we continue to build a world-class Formula One 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."

Commenting on the announcement, Arctos Partners's Managing Director Doc O'Connor said: "We look forward to collaborating with Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team 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 Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team's reach and brand, including industry intelligence sourced from our proprietary quantitative research and data science platform. Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team is a leading name in Formula One, one of the fastest growing sports in the US, and we are truly excited to be entering the sport alongside Lawrence and his team."