by Deal Between the Carmaker and Formula 1
The road car manufacturer Aston Martin and the company AMR GP, which operates the Aston Martin team in Formula 1, are two separate legal entities. A rather unexpected deal was recently concluded between them. At the end of last week, Aston Martin announced the permanent sale of the rights to use its name in Formula 1 to the team operated by AMR GP Holdings for £50 million ($67 million).
In effect, since the team is owned by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, who is also the main shareholder of the road car manufacturing company, these £50 million largely represent a fresh infusion of funds from him into the business. This may seem circular, but it is an effective measure.
The deal still requires shareholder approval before it can be implemented. Investors owning more than half of the company, including Geely and Mercedes-Benz, have already indicated they will vote “yes.”
Financial Context of the Deal
The timing of the deal announcement is not coincidental. The British carmaker recently warned that its profit in 2025 would be worse than initially expected. According to The Guardian, Aston Martin’s deliveries fell by almost 10 percent last year, to 5,448 units, partly due to current US trade tariffs.
As of the end of 2025, Aston Martin reported having cash reserves of £250 million ($338 million). This is £110 million ($148 million) less than the £360 million ($486 million) it had at the beginning of 2025. The situation is not catastrophic, but it cannot be considered comfortable either.
Key Model Valhalla
One of Aston Martin’s most important models this year will be the Valhalla. Deliveries of this mid-engined hybrid, priced at $1.1 million and limited to 999 units worldwide, began at the end of last year. Aston Martin expects approximately 500 cars to be delivered by the end of 2026.
First shown as a concept in 2019, the Valhalla combines a 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 engine with an electric motor integrated into the gearbox, and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The total output is 1,065 hp and 1,100 Nm of torque, enough to outpace the Ferrari 849 Testarossa with its 1,036 hp.
This brand rights sale operation points to the complex interaction between prestige in high-tech sports and the practical financial needs of a traditional car manufacturer. While the deal may appear as an internal operation, it demonstrates modern strategies used by auto brands to attract liquidity and support investments in cutting-edge developments like the Valhalla, amid market challenges. The success of such financial maneuvers often depends on the long-term strengthening of the brand, which the company hopes participation in Formula 1 will bring, even if the name rights now belong to another legal entity.
