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Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

This transaction estimates Mercedes at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – following the McLaren team were valued at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure in September.

The Austrian executive, who holds a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, plans to divest a shareholding approximately five percent.

The 53-year-old will remain as team boss and chief executive officer should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Structure

The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own one-third of the enterprise.

An official representative said: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The governance of Mercedes F1 will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to continued achievements of the brand in Formula One."

Valuation Growth

The deal would represent a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos acquired its stake for £208 million in 2022.

This surge reflects the growth in valuations of F1 teams in the past few years due to the growing popularity of Formula 1 around the world.

This was also seen in the success of the F1 movie featuring Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630 million (£458 million) at the box office.

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

Present Standings

Mercedes are runner-up in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix remaining in the current championship.

Their lead driver British driver George Russell has secured victory in 2 of the 21 races so far and is fourth in the drivers' championship behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

The team secured a record eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 and 2021.