🔗 Share this article

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to offload a portion of his shareholding in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

This transaction values Mercedes at £4.6bn – a record for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team were valued at £3.5 billion in a change of corporate structure in September.

Wolff, who holds a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake approximately 5%.

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

Shareholder Structure

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

An official representative stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The management structure of the team will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in F1."

Valuation Increase

The deal signifies a substantial rise in worth of the Mercedes team after Ineos bought its stake for £208 million in 2022.

The rise reflects the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently as a consequence of the increasing appeal of Formula 1 globally.

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

It is the actor's top-grossing movie and the highest-earning sports film ever released.

Current Performance

The Mercedes team are second in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix remaining in the current championship.

Their lead driver George Russell has secured victory in 2 of the 21 grands prix this year and is fourth in the individual standings behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

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