Jets owner joins Aston Martin board as vice-chairman

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets, has acquired a minority stake in Aston Martin’s Formula 1 team and will become involved in the sport for the first time.

Johnson, 79, the heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune who bought the Jets in 2000 and served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump, is taking what Aston Martin described as a “strategic minority stake” in the team. He will join its board of directors as vice-chairman.

Aston Martin 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.”

Beyond the Jets, Johnson also owns 45 percent of Premier League club Crystal Palace after acquiring the stake last year from John Textor.

Stroll welcomes new investor amid difficult season

The majority of Aston Martin’s F1 operation is owned by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, which acquired the team in 2018. Initially branded Racing Point, it was renamed after Stroll took shares in the Aston road car company. Stroll serves as Aston’s executive chairman.

“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,” Stroll said in a statement. “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.”

Johnson’s investment arrives during a major downturn for the team on track. Aston 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 has suffered performance and reliability issues early in the season.

Despite the slump, Aston harbors long-term ambitions of fighting for a world championship. Lawrence Stroll has invested heavily, most notably by converting its factory into a state-of-the-art facility near Silverstone. The team signed Alonso, a two-time world champion, in 2023 and employs Adrian Newey, the most successful car designer in F1 history, as team principal and managing technical partner. Newey also holds a small shareholding in the team.

Focus on U.S. growth

“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.”

Johnson added: “We also share a commitment to growing the fanbase in the United States and introducing even more fans to the excitement of Formula 1.”