ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Woody Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets, has acquired a minority stake in Aston Martin’s Formula 1 team.
Johnson, 79, is the heir to the Johnson and Johnson pharmaceutical company’s fortune and bought the Jets in 2000. He also served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom during President Donald Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2021.
Johnson will now become involved in F1 for the first time after taking what Aston described as a “strategic minority stake” in the team. He will join its board of directors as vice-chairman.
Aston said in a statement that Johnson was an “ideal partner” for the team thanks to his “proven track record and extensive experience investing in sports franchises, together with his considerable network of influential relationships.”
Besides owning the Jets, Johnson also owns 45 percent of the Premier League soccer club Crystal Palace after acquiring the stake last year from John Textor.
The majority of Aston’s F1 operation is owned by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, which acquired the team in 2018. Initially branded as Racing Point, it was renamed after Stroll took shares in the Aston road car company.
Stroll, who serves as Aston’s executive chairman, said in a statement: “I am extremely happy to welcome Woody to the Aston Martin family. His experience, passion and investment further strengthen our position as we enter the next phase of our competitive journey.
“His deep appreciation for our brand, combined with his commitment to innovation and commercial opportunity, makes him an ideal partner as we look to the future.”
Lance Stroll races for Aston Martin during the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix. (Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Johnson’s investment comes as Aston is experiencing a major downturn in its fortunes on the racetrack. It currently sits 10th in the 2026 constructors’ championship out of 11 teams, after scoring just one point in the opening 11 races of the season.
Drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll — Lawrence Stroll’s son — have struggled with the team’s new car, which had lots of performance and reliability issues in the early part of the season.
But Aston still harbors long-term ambitions of fighting for a world championship. Stroll Sr. has invested heavily in the team, most notably by converting its factory into a state-of-the-art facility near the Silverstone race track in the UK.
The team signed Alonso, a two-time world champion, to join the team in 2023, and has Adrian Newey, the most successful car designer in F1 history, as its team principal and managing technical partner. Newey also has a small shareholding in the team.
“During my time as U.S. Ambassador to the UK, I have developed a deep appreciation for Aston Martin’s rich history, as well as Lawrence Stroll’s strategic vision and entrepreneurial spirit,” Johnson said in a statement.
“I am excited to partner with him and contribute to the continued development of the team, with the ambition of building an organisation capable of competing at the very highest level of the sport.
“We also share a commitment to growing the fanbase in the United States and introducing even more fans to the excitement of Formula 1.”