Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell a portion of his shareholding in the Mercedes F1 outfit.
This transaction estimates Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – following the McLaren team were valued at £3.5bn in an adjustment to ownership structure last September.
Wolff, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a stake approximately five percent.
The 53-year-old would stay on as team principal and chief executive officer should the deal proceed.
Ownership Structure
The other shareholders in the team are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos Group, who both hold one-third of the company.
A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The management structure of Mercedes F1 will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to continued achievements of the brand in Formula One."
Financial Growth
This arrangement signifies a significant increase in worth of the Mercedes team after Ineos acquired its share for £208 million in 2022.
The rise reflects the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the increasing appeal of Formula 1 around the world.
This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film featuring Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and earned more than $630 million (£458 million) at the box office.
The film represents Pitt's most successful movie and the most successful sports movie to date.
Present Performance
The Mercedes team are second in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three races remaining in the current championship.
Their lead driver George Russell has won 2 of the 21 races so far and is fourth in the drivers' championship after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.
Mercedes secured a record eight consecutive team titles and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, between 2014 to 2021.
