Director del equipo Mercedes F1 vende 15% de participacin al CEO de CrowdStrike

Published: Friday, November 21, 2025 at 10:26 pm

Mercedes F1 Team Director Sells Stake to CrowdStrike CEO

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Toto Wolff, the team principal and co-owner of the Mercedes Formula 1 team, has sold a 15% stake in the racing team to George Kurtz, the CEO and founder of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The deal, announced before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, values the team at $6 billion.

Wolff, previously one of three equal owners alongside Mercedes-Benz and INEOS, will remain as team principal and CEO. Kurtz's acquisition makes him a co-owner of the team.

Kurtz will also serve as a technology advisor to Mercedes and join the team's strategic committee. This committee includes Wolff, Mercedes-Benz chairman Ola Kallenius, and INEOS founder and chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Wolff highlighted Kurtz's unique background, citing his experience as a racer, a Mercedes-AMG ambassador, and an entrepreneur. He believes Kurtz's understanding of both racing demands and the realities of building technology businesses will be increasingly relevant to the future of Formula 1.

CrowdStrike became a global partner of the Mercedes F1 team in 2019, but Kurtz's purchase of the ownership stake was a personal move. Kurtz emphasized the parallels between winning in racing and cybersecurity, highlighting the importance of speed, precision, innovation, and data. He expressed excitement about helping the team advance securely.

Kurtz is also a competitive racer, having participated in sports car racing since 2016. He has achieved class victories in prestigious races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Petit Le Mans. He is a two-time winner of both the 8 Hours of Indianapolis and the 24 Hours of Spa in a Mercedes-AMG GT3. In 2023, Kurtz won the SRO GT World Challenge America Teams' and Drivers' Championship, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Drivers' Championship, and the Asian Le Mans LMP2 Championship.

BNN's Perspective:

This deal appears to be a strategic move for Mercedes, bringing in expertise from the cybersecurity sector while maintaining continuity in leadership. The addition of Kurtz, with his racing background and technological acumen, could provide a fresh perspective and potentially enhance the team's performance in an increasingly data-driven sport. It will be interesting to see how this partnership evolves and what impact it has on the team's future success.

Keywords: Mercedes F1, Toto Wolff, George Kurtz, CrowdStrike, Formula 1, ownership, cybersecurity, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Mercedes-Benz, INEOS, technology advisor, racing, motorsports, sports car racing, Le Mans, Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Indianapolis, Spa, SRO GT World Challenge America, Asian Le Mans

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