BUSINESSMAN AND ENDURANCE RACER, George Kurtz, has become a co-owner of the Mercedes Formula 1 Team after acquiring a 15% minority stake in the ownership entity controlled by team principal and CEO, Toto Wolff.
Kurtz is the CEO and founder of the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, a Mercedes partner since 2019. As part of the investment, he will join the eight-time World Champions’ strategic steering committee as a technology advisor.
Wolff’s ownership company controls one-third of the F1 team, with Mercedes-Benz and INEOS each owning the remaining shares. Despite the new investment, the team’s governance structure remains unchanged, with Wolff continuing as co-owner, CEO, and team principal.
In a joint statement, Mercedes and Kurtz confirmed that he will “support the team’s innovation and technology strategy with a focus on the intersection of competitive motorsport, data analytics and Performance”.
Kurtz said, “Winning in racing and cybersecurity requires speed, precision, and innovation. Milliseconds matter. Execution counts. Data wins. Technology is reshaping competitive advantage and human capability everywhere, including motorsport. I’m excited to help the team securely accelerate forward.”
Wolff added, “George’s background is unusual in its breadth: he’s a racer, a loyal sporting ambassador for Mercedes-AMG, and an exceptional entrepreneur. He understands both the demands of racing and the realities of building and scaling technology businesses. That combination brings specific insight that is increasingly relevant to the future of Formula 1.”
