McLaren Valued at Over £3 Billion in Gulf Buyout

McLaren Racing is set to be valued at in excess of £3 billion as its Middle Eastern backers move to acquire the remaining minority stake in the team. Bahrain’s Mumtalakat sovereign wealth fund and Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings are preparing to buy out the 30 per cent share previously held by investors such as MSP Sports Capital, UBS O’Connor and Ares Management in a deal expected to be confirmed imminently.

This valuation marks a substantial leap from its December 2020 valuation of approximately £560 million, when MSP Sports Capital entered the picture during a fundraising round. The outcome promises significant returns for the minority investors who backed McLaren during its earlier financial challenges.

McLaren’s resurgence under chief executive Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella has helped propel the team back to the forefront of Formula One. Following years overshadowed by dominant rivals, McLaren clinched its first constructors’ championship in 2024, and in the current season its drivers—Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris—are locked in a fierce duel at the top of the drivers’ standings.

The sport’s expanding global appeal, driven by Liberty Media’s strategic digital outreach and the cultural phenomenon of the Netflix series Drive to Survive, has magnified team valuations across the grid. McLaren’s rise is emblematic of that broader trend.

Alongside on-track performance, McLaren has diversified into other motorsport arenas. It competes in IndyCar and has confirmed plans to enter the World Endurance Championship, notably the 24 Hours of Le Mans, beginning in 2027. Mastercard has also joined as the team’s title sponsor, in a deal slated to begin in 2026.

The Gulf investors, Mumtalakat and CYVN, currently hold control of McLaren Group Limited, the parent entity of McLaren Racing. With this deal, they will consolidate full ownership of the racing arm.

Beyond this deal, McLaren’s broader corporate structure has undergone notable change. In March 2024, Mumtalakat completed a full takeover of McLaren Group. Later, in December 2024, CYVN acquired McLaren Automotive along with a non‑controlling interest in the racing division. These moves underscore a strategic integration under Gulf ownership, spanning both competition and high-performance automotive manufacturing.

The proposed stake sale is set to be formally announced in the coming days—and might already be public by the time this report is published.

Further context: Aston Martin, another Formula One team, recently sold a minority stake in its racing operation for approximately $147 million, valuing that team at around $3.2 billion.