🔗 Share this article

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – after McLaren was appraised at £3.5bn in an adjustment to ownership structure last September.

The Austrian executive, who holds a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake in the region of five percent.

The 53-year-old would stay on as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through.

Shareholder Breakdown

Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own a third of the enterprise.

A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The management structure of Mercedes F1 will remain unchanged, and all three partners are fully committed to the ongoing success of the brand in Formula One."

Valuation Increase

This arrangement would represent a substantial rise in value of the Mercedes team after Ineos bought its share for £208m in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the growing popularity of Formula 1 globally.

This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, which was released last summer and earned over $630 million (£458 million) at cinemas worldwide.

The film represents Pitt's most successful film and the most successful sports movie to date.

Current Standings

The Mercedes team are runner-up in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three races left in the current championship.

Their lead driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 races this year and is in fourth place in the individual standings after McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Mercedes secured a record eight straight constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, between 2014 and 2021.