Aston Martin Trades F1 Naming Rights

Aston Martin is to sell the rights to use its name on its Formula One team for £50 million, as the British luxury carmaker seeks to strengthen liquidity after a difficult trading year.

The perpetual naming rights agreement with AMR GP Holdings, which operates the Aston Martin F1 Team, is intended to bolster the group’s finances amid tariff pressures and subdued demand in key markets. The company warned that its annual adjusted operating loss would be slightly below the lower end of market expectations, which ranged from £139 million to £184 million. Shares fell more than 4 per cent following the announcement.

The transaction requires shareholder approval as it constitutes a related-party deal involving executive chairman Lawrence Stroll, who indirectly controls AMR GP. Investors representing 54 per cent of the company, including Stroll’s Yew Tree Consortium, Geely and Mercedes-Benz, have given binding commitments to support the sale.

Aston Martin has taken several steps over the past year to shore up capital, including a $162 million cash injection from Stroll and a previous agreement to sell its stake in the Formula One team. The carmaker, long associated with the James Bond franchise, also reduced spending on new vehicle development in October, citing extremely subdued demand in China and broader sector pressures in the United Kingdom.

Operationally, the group delivered nearly 10 per cent fewer cars this year, reflecting fewer high-margin special deliveries. Management continues to expect a material improvement in 2026, supported by around 500 deliveries of its Valhalla hypercar and ongoing cost-cutting measures. The naming rights sale underscores how even heritage luxury brands are leveraging marquee motorsport assets to manage balance-sheet strain while navigating volatile global demand.