This forum contains threads to discuss teams themselves. Anything not technical about the cars, including restructuring, performances etc belongs here.
Just watched Zaks interview on The Race youtube - jeeze i had no idea they had bought back MTC - wtg Zak
Where the hell is the money coming from?
I know teams are profitable from F1 now since the budget cap, but somehow I doubt the profit is that big. The middle east is on fire (literally), the automotive industry is struggling, and they've been starting motorsport projects left right and center. I don't understand how they can afford all of this.
Just watched Zaks interview on The Race youtube - jeeze i had no idea they had bought back MTC - wtg Zak
Awesome. Not had chance to see/ read any of this interview yet.
I was only wondering the other day as to where they are at regarding the ownership of the MYC. Building a new state of the art windtunnel on a complex they didn’t own would have been a massive risk.
Well done team- again.
Just a fan's point of view*
*statement was relevant when the forum had a high level of intelligence. Now we are just equals.
Just watched Zaks interview on The Race youtube - jeeze i had no idea they had bought back MTC - wtg Zak
Where the hell is the money coming from?
I know teams are profitable from F1 now since the budget cap, but somehow I doubt the profit is that big. The middle east is on fire (literally), the automotive industry is struggling, and they've been starting motorsport projects left right and center. I don't understand how they can afford all of this.
Who the hell cares. Today the team is worth 4 or 5 billion. Be happy that everything is going well for them.
It is great news, and I was waiting (and hoping) for this to happen. I wonder if it was the intention in the first place, and if there were buy-back clauses in the sale contract.
"I showed him [with my hands] and said: I have bigger balls!” - Mika Hakkinen
the money came from the Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings sale - they bought Mclaren automotive and a minority stake in the F1 operation in early 2025. That raised in the order of $1.5B. The agreement to buy back MTC was finalised late 2025. It was announced in Jan 2026, although the media that plastered the original sale of the site didnt think to cover the fact it was bought back, so most of of missed that little titbit.
So Mclaren Group Holdings now owns the whole site, MTC and MPC and The Leadership Centre.
For the record, it was sold for £170M and bought back for £250M, so i doubt the previous owners needed too much arm twisting for a tidy £80M profit in 4 years
To add, while the initial purchase of automotive and minority share in the F1 team by Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings was of the order of $1.5B, they have in the last 12 months invested a total of about $4B, which wiped out Automotives debt from the covid days, and facilitated supply chains and investment for the W1 and Acura along with the new SUV.
The upshot of all of this is that Mclaren holdings are now 100% owned by Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings and Mumtalakat (Bahrain). Mclaren automotive and Mclaren F1 lease their buildings to themselves in the form of Mclaren Holdings. It is a sweet deal and gives Mclaren a solid foundation (its also unlikely to be effected by global events as the two wings of the group should look after themselves, Automotive was being crippled by debt, which is no longer there)
Just watched Zaks interview on The Race youtube - jeeze i had no idea they had bought back MTC - wtg Zak
Where the hell is the money coming from?
I know teams are profitable from F1 now since the budget cap, but somehow I doubt the profit is that big. The middle east is on fire (literally), the automotive industry is struggling, and they've been starting motorsport projects left right and center. I don't understand how they can afford all of this.
Borrowing against the value of the team plus probably selling some shares in the team.
I'm optimistic, they've shown that they are more than capable of building good cars. If this is only 60% of the upgrade, then that is really promising.
It is such an extraordinary complex.