Aston Martin has a new investment injected from sports investment group Arctos Partners, which already owns stakes in several franchises and clubs in several leagues. The team has been finalizing this investment since November 2023 and it’s not just the funding that is going to boost them. Managing partner at Arctos, David O’Connor, has explained the group’s alignment with the Silverstone team’s highly ambitious dreams of reaching the top in F1.
According to Motorsport.com, O’Connor cited how despite being a minor stakeholder, Arctos is fully supporting Lawrence Stroll’s ambitious goals for Aston Martin. He stated, “It’s about people, his investment in people, and bringing the best operators that he can find in every category.
“Whether that’s technical, or it’s on the commercial side, he has attracted really top-level people, and with a vision that is behind that”, said O’Connor.
Besides Aston Martin in F1, the Arctos group knows sports investment and how to find value in multiple leagues. They have stakes in several franchises in the US leagues such as NBA, MLB, NHL, and even MLS. Moreover, Arctos even owns a stake in the Premier League club Liverpool. This diversified experience is what is going to help Aston Martin.
O’Connor cited that the “data and intelligence” they gather from their teams in other leagues will be very valuable for Aston Martin. Whether it be growing on the commercial front or understanding fan bases in America, Arctos’ insights can contribute massively, he claims.
O’Connor also mentioned other factors such as the upcoming Honda partnership that influenced Arctos’ decision to invest in Aston Martin. With the Canadian business magnate having gone deep with his investment in the team, O’Connor has Arctos feel convinced about the Silverstone team‘s future success potential.
Even the team’s commercial boss, Slack, agrees that more than the investment, what matters is what Arctos brings to the party. In terms of money, Lawrence Stroll has spent a lot in building the team to where it is today. So from here on, it is all about additional enabling and expertise to bridge the gap to the top.
What is Lawrence Stroll’s dream for Aston Martin?
Back in 2018-19, Lawrence Stroll came as the savior for the bankrupt Force India team. The Canadian bought the team under administration with a consortium to rebuild it.
After a couple of years under a placeholder name ‘Racing Point’, Stroll and Co. rebranded the team as Aston Martin. Ever since then, Stroll has dreamed of making the Silverstone team a world championship-winning outfit in F1.
While he not only saved the team from collapsing, his investment in the infrastructure and facilities has enabled the team to rise from being an underdog midfield team to a challenger for a place at the top. On the commercial side too, their performance benefitted the brand Aston Martin.
After their 2023 resurgence, thanks to Fernando Alonso, the brand’s stock saw a huge rise. Overall, the company’s valuation has increased in leaps and bounds. To top it up, the recent Arctos investment pushed the valuation to a whopping $1.24 billion.
So, as far as money goes, Aston Martin are in no crunch. It is just about how well they utilize their financial health to transcend into on-track glory. While it may look simple, there are multiple moving parts to make it happen. And of course one of them is stability and longevity in ownership.
There were speculations that Lawrence Stroll might even leave the team after this huge investment. However, the 64-year-old clarified how he ain’t going anywhere. Even Slack cited that Stroll is here to stay to witness his vision for the team become a reality.
