McLaren’s $5 billion valuation

McLaren’s new era: Abu Dhabi joins Bahrain to take full control at a $5 billion valuation

Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat and Abu Dhabi–backed CYVN Holdings have moved to full ownership of McLaren Racing by purchasing the remaining minority stakes from MSP Sports Capital and co-investors.

Multiple outlets report the deal values McLaren Racing at around $5 billion

• Who invested

• Lead owners (post-deal):

  • Mumtalakat (Bahrain): remains the controlling shareholder of McLaren Group/Racing.

  • CYVN Holdings (Abu Dhabi): holds a non-controlling interest in McLaren Racing and full ownership of McLaren Automotive (the road-car business), following a separate transaction completed earlier.

• Exiting investors: MSP Sports Capital and affiliates (including O’Connor/UBS, Ares Sports, Media & Entertainment funds, Caspian, and others) sold their remaining ~30% in McLaren Racing. Board representatives from MSP are stepping down.

• Leadership and governance

  1. McLaren Racing leadership remains under CEO Zak Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella, the duo credited with the competitive turnaround that underpins the valuation.

  2. Governance changes: With the buy-out of minority stakes, MSP-affiliated directors will vacate the Racing board; the simplified, two-owner structure (Mumtalakat + CYVN) is intended to streamline decision-making.

  3. Business implications to watch

     • Capital allocation: Expect continued investment in McLaren’s F1 program, talent, facilities, and data/CFD capabilities; potential knock-ons for IndyCar and endurance plans.

     • Group structure clarity: With Automotive now under CYVN and Racing co-owned, the McLaren ecosystem may see tighter brand alignment while ring-fencing team budgets within the FIA cost cap.

     • Sponsorship leverage: A higher valuation and on-track form typically support long-term, blue-chip sponsorships and premium pricing on partner tiers

     The question is: will this infusion of capital and simplified ownership structure accelerate McLaren’s push back to the very top of Formula 1?

     #F1 #Business #McLaren #Leadership #AbuDhabi #Bahrain