Formula 1 teams are trading at roughly six to seven times revenue while NBA and NFL franchises command multiples of 12 or more, according to Aston Martin managing director Jefferson Slack. His remarks followed the announcement that New York Jets owner Robert ‘Woody’ Johnson had bought into the team, the latest in a string of cross-sport deals.
Industry figures like McLaren CEO Zak Brown and former team principal Flavio Briatore echoed Slack’s assessment, citing the sport’s global reach, long-term contracts, and limited team count as reasons valuations should rise. Brown noted that sports franchise values historically trend upward, while Briatore marveled at how Benetton’s 1980s valuation of $80 million now pales beside today’s $3.5–4 billion figures.
Private equity’s growing role in F1 ownership, including Dorilton Capital’s Williams investment and Otro Capital’s Alpine stake, reflects this shift. Williams’ Matthew Savage called valuations in 2020 ‘one times revenues’ and predicted increases, while RedBird Capital’s Brandon Snow framed F1 as a durable asset amid tech volatility. The debate may soon get firmer data if Otro Capital sells its Alpine stake or if Cadillac’s ownership structure becomes clearer.
With demand from institutional investors and families outpacing the fixed supply of 11 teams, the gap between F1 and US sports valuations could narrow further.
