Strategic View:
Bahrain’s Mumtalakat and Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings have completed the full takeover of McLaren Racing. This club deal values the Formula One team and automotive group at $5 billion. It resolves the complex capital structure of the group and secures its long-term electric vehicle strategy.
Full Story:
The saga of McLaren has reached a new chapter with the completion of a full takeover by a sovereign consortium. Bahrain’s sovereign fund Mumtalakat (already a majority owner) teamed up with Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings to buy out minority shareholders and recapitalize the business. The club deal values the group at $5 billion.
This transaction is critical for McLaren’s survival and growth. The company had been burdened by debt and a complex cap table. The entry of CYVN (which also backs EV maker Nio) brings not just capital but deep technical expertise in electric powertrains—essential for McLaren Automotive’s transition to EVs. The syndicate effectively privatizes the group under full sovereign control, allowing for patient, long-term decision making without the pressure of quarterly cash crunches.
For Formula One, this ensures one of its historic teams is backed by unlimited capital. The consortium structure balances Bahrain’s historic loyalty to the brand with Abu Dhabi’s forward-looking tech focus.
Why It Matters:
Automotive transition requires Sovereign support. This club deal marries a heritage luxury brand with deep-pocketed EV investors, creating a vertically integrated “Luxury Tech” group.
