Ferrari & Mercedes Only F1 Teams on Forbes' Top 50 Most Valuable Sports Franchises List
Despite F1's massive growth, only Ferrari and Mercedes made Forbes' 2025 list of the 50 most valuable sports teams, leaving reigning champions McLaren and Red Bull off the elite ranking and underscoring the immense value of brand legacy.
Formula 1's global boom is rewriting the business playbook, but cracking the top tier of world sports remains brutally exclusive. In Forbes' 2025 list of the 50 most valuable sports franchises, only Ferrari and Mercedes made the cut, leaving reigning champions McLaren and other successful teams off the elite ranking despite the sport's soaring commercial growth.
Why it matters:
The rankings highlight a key truth in modern sports: long-term brand power and global legacy are often more valuable than recent on-track dominance. While F1's popularity is skyrocketing, the list also underscores the immense financial chasm that still exists between even its most valuable teams and the absolute pinnacle of global sports franchises, which continues to be dominated by American NFL teams.
The details:
- Ferrari leads the F1 contingent, landing at 26th globally with a $6.5 billion valuation. The Scuderia's iconic brand, further supercharged by Lewis Hamilton's arrival, ties it with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Mercedes made a strong return to the list at 34th after missing out in 2024. The Brackley-based squad is valued at $6 billion, placing it alongside iconic franchises like the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Chargers.
- The Champions Left Behind: In a surprising omission, 2025 Constructors' and Drivers' Champions McLaren failed to make the list. Despite a recent valuation of around $4.5 billion and a staggering 500% appreciation in value over the last five years, the Woking-based team remains outside the top 50.
- Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin were also absent from the rankings, despite their competitive performance and significant investments in infrastructure and sponsorship.
What's next:
Don't expect the current champions to be on the sidelines for long. With F1's fanbase and media rights fees rapidly growing, especially in the crucial American market, the financial trajectory is clear. It likely won't be long before the orange of McLaren and the blue of Red Bull are fighting for a position on next year's Forbes list.