Only two Formula 1 teams make Forbes’ 2025 Top 50 list

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Formula 1’s global boom keeps rewriting the business playbook – but even in a sport swimming in sponsors, streaming deals and celebrity cachet, cracking the very top tier of world sport remains brutally exclusive.

In the newly released 2025 list of the world’s 50 most valuable sports franchises, only two F1 heavyweights managed to muscle their way onto the grid – leaving some of the sport’s most successful current winners in the dust.

Ferrari once again led the way for Formula 1, landing 26th on Forbes’ global rankings with a valuation of $6.5 billion. The Scuderia’s enduring brand power – supercharged by the arrival of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton – saw it tie with NFL royalty, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mercedes weren’t far behind. The Brackley-based squad surged back into the top 50 at 34th overall, valued at $6 billion and sitting alongside iconic American franchises like the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Chargers.

After missing out entirely in 2024, Mercedes’ return underlines just how much weight legacy, success and global recognition still carry in this list.

Yet even Ferrari, the most valuable team in Formula 1, ranked outside the top 25 – a reminder of just how dominant American sports brands remain on the world stage.

The Champions Left Behind

The real shocker, however, isn’t who made the list – it’s who didn’t. Despite a historic 2025 campaign that saw McLaren sweep both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships, Zak Brown’s team was conspicuously absent from the top 50.

Even with a 500% appreciation in value over the last five years and a recent valuation of roughly $4.5 billion, the Woking squad still has a few billion to go before it can challenge the likes of the Dallas Cowboys, who topped the list at an eye-watering $13 billion.

Joining McLaren in the "omitted" club is Red Bull Racing. Despite Max Verstappen’s continued dominance and the team's massive global presence, the Milton Keynes outfit failed to break into the elite top 50.

Similarly, Lawrence Stroll’s ambitious Aston Martin project, which has seen massive investment in infrastructure and a flurry of new sponsors, remains on the outside looking in for now.

While the NFL continues to dominate the rankings, the trajectory of Formula 1 is clear. With a growing American fanbase and rising media rights fees, it likely won't be long before the orange of McLaren and the blue of Red Bull are fighting for position on Forbes’ front page.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.