🔗 Share this article

Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to sell part of his shareholding in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

This transaction values Mercedes at £4.6bn – a record for an F1 team – after McLaren was appraised at £3.5 billion in a change of corporate structure last September.

Wolff, who holds one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a shareholding approximately five percent.

Wolff, aged 53 will remain as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through.

Shareholder Breakdown

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

An official representative said: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The management structure of the team will remain unchanged, and all three partners are fully committed to continued achievements of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Financial Increase

This arrangement would represent a substantial rise in worth of the Mercedes team since Ineos Group acquired its share for £208m in 2022.

This surge demonstrates the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the increasing appeal of the sport around the world.

This was also seen in the success of the Formula 1 film starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630m (£458 million) at the box office.

The film represents the actor's top-grossing film and the highest-earning sports film ever released.

Present Standings

The Mercedes team are second in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren Racing, with three races remaining this season.

Their lead driver George Russell has won 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 Racing's Max Verstappen.

The team won a unprecedented eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, between 2014 to 2021.