Aston Martin Lagonda has issued a fresh profit warning and agreed to sell the naming rights to its own Formula 1 team in a deal worth £50 million.
The move underscores the mounting financial pressures on the luxury carmaker while spotlighting the evolving commercial value of F1 itself.
In what is effectively an internal capital transfer – Aston Martin will sell the right to use its name on the Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team to AMR GP Holdings, the separate company that operates the racing outfit.
Because both are controlled by Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll, the deal requires and appears to have secured shareholder approval, including backing from major investors such as Geely and Mercedes-Benz.
In its trading update, Aston Martin warned that 2025 earnings will fall short of City forecasts – the latest in a series of profit warnings that have weighed heavily on the stock.
Lower wholesale volumes and reduced deliveries of higher-margin models have compounded pressure from elevated tariffs in key markets such as the US, leaving luxury volumes down year-on-year.
The £50 million naming rights transaction monetises what has traditionally been seen as a core brand asset. That Aston Martin is willing to convert F1 naming rights into liquidity reflects both the ongoing strain on its balance sheet and the intrinsic commercial value associated with F1 branding.
For context, the naming rights deal runs in perpetuity and fortifies the company’s immediate cash position, effectively transferring the brand licence over to AMR GP while preserving the long-term sponsorship association on track.
Aston Martin had already agreed to sell its F1 team’s naming rights through to 2055 under an earlier commercial arrangement – meaning the latest deal is not the first time the rights have been put on the table.
