The founder and CEO of CrowdStrike, an endurance driver, in addition to becoming co-owner of the team, was appointed Technology Advisor. The governance of the team remains unchanged
The news had been circulating for a few weeks in the paddock of the top series but this evening, at the start of the Formula 1 race weekend in Las Vegas, the official announcement arrived: the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and George Kurtz, CEO and founder of CrowdStrike, announced that Kurtz has become co-owner of the team and has been appointed Technology Advisor. The transaction took place through the personal acquisition of a 15% minority stake in the company controlled by Toto Wolff — which owns a third of the team in partnership with Mercedes-Benz and Ineos — Kurtz thus joining Mercedes-Benz, Ineos and Toto Wolff in the team’s long-term ownership group. Kurtz, now holder of 5% of the total, also joins the team’s strategic management committee, alongside the Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG Ola Källenius, the founder and president of the INEOS Group Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Toto Wolff.
the role of toto
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With the official news also comes reassurance on Toto Wolff’s role within the team: the acquisition in fact does not change the governance of the team which remains unchanged and Wolff will continue to cover all his current executive roles. And the words of the team principal himself were not long in coming: “George Kurtz’s background is unusual in its breadth: he is a driver, a loyal sporting ambassador for Mercedes-Amg and an exceptional entrepreneur. He understands both the demands of racing and the realities of building and growing large-scale technology companies. This combination brings a specific expertise that is increasingly relevant for the future of Formula 1.”
who is kurtz
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George Kurtz is CEO and founder of CrowdStrike, the AI-native cybersecurity company protecting customers around the world with the Falcon platform. Kurtz is an entrepreneur, executive, security expert. He is also a prolific real estate developer, with projects throughout the Southwestern United States. Outside of his professional work, George and his wife Anna support charities dedicated to adolescent mental health. Kurtz’s passion is the fusion of business and racing. He began his professional motorsport career in 2016 and has since achieved class victories in the following endurance races: 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans (LMP2 Pro-Am), 2021 12 Hours of Sebring, 2023 Petit Le Mans, 2023 Six Hours of the Glen, and has won both the Indianapolis 8 Hour and the 24 Hours of Spa twice with a Mercedes-AMG GT3. Additionally, Kurtz has captured numerous titles, including the 2023 SRO GT World Challenge America Team & Drivers’ Championship, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Championship Driver Category and the 2023-24 Asia Le Mans LMP2 Championship.
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