Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – a record for an F1 team – following the McLaren team were valued at £3.5bn in an adjustment to ownership structure in September.
The Austrian executive, who holds one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a stake in the region of 5%.
Wolff, aged 53 would stay on as team principal and CEO should the deal proceed.
Ownership Breakdown
The other shareholders in the team are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who both hold one-third of the enterprise.
An official representative said: "We are providing no official statement on this. The governance of Mercedes F1 will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."
Financial Growth
The deal signifies a significant increase in value of the Mercedes team after Ineos acquired its stake for £208 million in 2022.
The rise reflects the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits recently as a consequence of the growing popularity of the sport 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 $630m (£458 million) at cinemas worldwide.
It is the actor's top-grossing movie and the most successful sports film to date.
Present Performance
Mercedes are second in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix remaining this season.
Their lead driver British driver George Russell has won 2 of the 21 races so far and is in fourth place in the individual standings behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Mercedes secured a record eight consecutive team titles and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, between 2014 to 2021.
