🔗 Share this article

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in final negotiations to offload part of his shareholding in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

The deal values the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – after McLaren were valued at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure last September.

Wolff, who owns a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a stake in the region of five percent.

The 53-year-old will remain as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through.

Shareholder Structure

Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos, who both hold one-third of the enterprise.

An official representative said: "We will be making no official statement on the matter. The management structure of Mercedes F1 will remain unaltered, and each shareholder are fully committed to the ongoing success of the brand in Formula One."

Valuation Increase

This arrangement signifies a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos bought its share for £208 million in 2022.

The rise reflects the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the increasing appeal of the sport around the world.

This was also seen in the box-office performance of the F1 movie starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed over $630m (£458 million) at the box office.

The film represents the actor's top-grossing film and the most successful sports film to date.

Current Standings

Mercedes are second in the constructors' championship, trailing McLaren, with three races remaining this season.

Their lead driver British driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 grands prix this year and is in fourth place in the drivers' championship behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

The team won a record eight straight team titles and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.