F1 Team Valuations Lag NFL, NBA – Still Undervalued
- Forbes estimated average F1 team valuation at US$3.6bn, much lower than NFL (US$7.1bn) and NBA (US$5.4bn)
- Elis Wyn Jones points to scarcity value and return on investment as key reasons why F1 teams are being undersold
Formula One teams are still trading at a “material discount” compared to clubs in the National Football League (NFL),National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Premier League,according to a former goldman Sachs analyst.
Speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange, Elis Wyn Jones, who previously headed up the investment bank’s global sports advisory, acknowledged that “there’s always a limit in terms of how much someone’s willing to pay and what they see as a return”, but argued that the global motorsport series has not yet reached this point.
Jones’ comments come as Formula One team valuations are skyrocketing.Moast recently, Mercedes chief executive and team principal Toto Wolff sold part of his stake in the team at a US$6 billion valuation, a new record for a Formula One team, surpassing the reported UK£3 billion (US$4.06 billion) achieved by McLaren Racing in September 2025.
For context, Ineos purchased a 33 per cent stake in Mercedes for UK£208 million (US$273 million) in 2022, valuing the team at just over UK£600 million (US$800 million).
With the sport experiencing revenue and audience growth, Jones anticipates continued increases in Formula One team values.
“There are 32 NBA teams, 30 NFL teams, 20 Premier League football teams, of which five or six are premium within that,” he said.“There are 11 Formula One teams, with the potential for 12, and that’s it.
“The scarcity value will drive growth, first. Second, from a valuation perspective, these teams still trade at a material discount to NFL football teams which are 13 to 14 times [revenues].
“The LA Lakers sold for a high teens [revenue multiple] last year, and the Boston Celtics”