Mercedes welcomes new co-owner, George Kurtz, the American billionaire and founder of cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. Kurtz has acquired a minority stake in team principal Toto Wolff’s share of the outfit, joining the strategic steering committee alongside Wolff, Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Kallenius, and INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Despite the ownership change, Wolff retains one-third ownership of the team and will continue to serve as team principal and CEO. A Mercedes spokesperson confirmed that the team’s governance structure will remain unchanged.
Describing Kurtz’s background, Wolff praised his diverse expertise in racing, technology, and entrepreneurship. Kurtz, who is not only a successful businessman but also a racing driver, has achieved notable victories in motorsport, including a triumph at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 Pro-Am category.
In addition to his ownership stake, Kurtz will also take on a technology advisory role within the team. He emphasized the importance of speed, precision, and innovation in both racing and cybersecurity, highlighting the role of technology in reshaping competitive advantage and human capability.
The ownership structure of Mercedes F1 now sees three main factions holding equal stakes, with Wolff and Kurtz controlling 33.3 percent each, matching the ownership shares of Ratcliffe and the Mercedes-Benz Group based in Germany.
Sky has enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to include a comprehensive range of streaming services such as HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu, along with 135 channels and full coverage of Formula 1. Sky offers exclusive broadcasting of practice sessions, qualifiers, races, and other sports events including the Premier League, EFL, darts, and golf.