McLaren Racing, the reigning Formula One world champions, are reportedly valued at $5 billion after a deal that gives Bahrain’s Mumtalakat and Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings full ownership of the professional racing team, according to multiple reports.
The landmark deal, announced by the McLaren Group on Tuesday, gives Mumtalakat and CYVN the remaining 30 percent stake in McLaren they didn’t own already by acquiring all shares previously held by MSP Sports Capital, O’Connor Capital Solutions-managed funds, Ares Sports, Media and Entertainment funds, and Caspian Funds.
Mumtalakat, a Bahrain sovereign wealth fund, will reportedly remain the majority shareholder of McLaren, and CYVN, majority-owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, will have a non-controlling stake.
McLaren has been a dominant force since 2020, when the U.S.-based investment group MSP and others took a significant minority stake and injected much-needed funding.
“Our suite of minority investors came on board in 2020, and we thank them for their tremendous support over the past few years as we set McLaren Racing on a path to commercial growth and financial stability,” said McLaren Group executive chairman Paul Walsh.
MSP, which was founded in 2019 by Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad, reportedly received a ten-times return on their 2020 investment, making this week’s deal the biggest sports team exit ever for an institutional fund, according to Yahoo Finance.
“When we invested in McLaren Racing, our goal was to bring that same experience, capital, and commitment to help restore one of motorsport’s most legendary brands,” Moorad said in a statement. “With ownership now consolidated in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, McLaren is poised for an even brighter future.”
Both Najafi and Moorad will leave the McLaren Racing board.
McLaren won its ninth constructors’ title last year, and this season has 12 wins in 15 races and more than twice as many points as Ferrari and Mercedes. McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri (seven wins) and Lando Norris (five wins) are battling for the 2025 drivers’ title.
–Field Level Media
