Bahrain’s Mumtalakat and Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings are taking the wheel at McLaren. The two sovereign funds behind the racing arm are set to buy out the remaining 30% stake, giving them full ownership in a deal valuing the Formula 1 team at more than £3 billion ($3.5 billion). It’s the latest sign of Gulf money reshaping the grid: Saudi’s Aramco and Ma’aden logos are splashed across Aston Martin’s cars, while Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Jeddah all host Grand Prix stops. With a global fanbase of 827 million and revenues that have nearly doubled since 2017, F1 has become a lucrative opportunity for the region’s ambitions in both sports and economic diversification.
