Aston Martin to sell F1 team stake as Stroll invests more money

Aston Martin is set to sell a stake in the Aston Martin Formula 1 team in order to commit an extra £52.5million into the car business.

The company cut 170 jobs last month after fewer cars were sold in 2023. This was put down to production delays and it eventually led to debts of over £1billion.

Stroll’s investment has been done through his Yew Tree Consortium, which bought a stake in Aston Martin five years ago, and that share will now rise to 33%.

“I am pleased to clearly demonstrate my unwavering support and commitment to Aston Martin,” he said. “Since 2020, my Yew Tree Consortium partners and I have invested around £600m into the company.

“This proposed investment further underscores my conviction in this extraordinary brand, and commitment to ensuring Aston Martin has the strongest possible platform for creating long-term value while reducing equity dilution via this premium subscription, which should greatly reassure shareholders, as I again increase my long-term ownership in the company.”

As well as Stroll investing more money into the business, Aston Martin will sell a minority stake in its Formula 1 team, worth approximately £74m.

Stroll added: “Today’s proposed investment, priced at a premium to the market price, and the forthcoming proposed sale of the Aston Martin F1 team shares owned by Aston Martin at a premium to book value, is expected to generate significant additional liquidity for the Group, of over £125m.

“With a long-term sponsorship agreement cementing the existing relationship between Aston Martin and the Aston Martin F1 team, our brand will remain present and competing at the pinnacle of motorsport for many years to come.”

A statement from the Aston Martin F1 team added that “a long-term contract” will ensure the British brand will remain in the series, with the Raine Group bank tasked with finding a buyer for the shares.

“These moves demonstrate that Aston Martin’s place on the Formula 1 grid is as secure as ever,” Stroll added. “AML recently re-committed to its long-term sponsorship and licensing agreement with AMF1, confirming that the legendary Aston Martin brand and its British racing green colours will compete in Formula 1 for decades to come.”

Stroll’s takeover started by leading a consortium of investors to buy the defunct Force India F1 Team in 2018 and renaming it as Racing Point for the following year.

In 2020, Stroll then led the Yew Tree Consortium to invest £182m into Aston Martin, which saw the British marque to have its own F1 team on the grid in 2021 after the rebranding of Racing Point.

It has remained on the grid ever since with Stroll’s son Lance driving for the team alongside two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso.

The Silverstone-based outfit finished fifth in the 2024 championship with a disappointing zero podiums, but there is much hope for the next regulation era in 2026 after the signing of legendary designer Adrian Newey.