Aston Martin officially confirmed this week that it is divesting its stake in the Formula 1 team that bears its name.

In a move that highlights the severity of the crisis facing the British automaker, the company has signed a letter of intent to sell its 4.6% stake in the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team.

The deal was valued at around $146 million , which puts a staggering total value of $3.2 billion on the racing team.

As contradictory as it may seem, the legendary manufacturer of James Bond’s cars never had more than a small, symbolic stake in the F1 team .

And now, with losses piling up and sales of supercars like the Valkyrie and Valhalla lower than expected, it’s time to raise cash—from wherever we can.

The company’s stock plummeted 50% last year, and revenue fell 34% in the second quarter. Given this, giving up Formula 1 became a matter of survival.

The impact of US tariffs has only worsened the situation. Even with a new agreement between the UK and the US, which reduced import tariffs from 27.5% to 10%, the relief is limited to the first 100,000 vehicles shipped per year.

After that, the heavy toll returns. For a luxury, low-volume manufacturer like Aston Martin, this is a cruel sentence.

Interestingly, Formula 1 was one of the few areas that still generated brand value. The initial expectation was that the sale of the stake in the team would yield around US$100 million, but the sport’s growth and appreciation allowed for a 50% more profitable deal.

All this without losing the name printed on the category’s cars: the team will continue to be called Aston Martin, thanks to an agreement with billionaire Lawrence Stroll, owner of the team and also majority shareholder of the automaker.

Despite a less-than-exciting season, the F1 team has reason to remain optimistic. With new rules slated for 2026 and the arrival of former Red Bull engineer Adrian Newey, there’s hope for a performance leap.

But off the track, the challenge is different: saving a century-old brand that, with each passing quarter, seems closer to becoming just a memory of a glorious past.