Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in final negotiations to offload part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
This transaction values Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – following the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure last September.
Wolff, who owns one-third of Mercedes F1, would sell a stake approximately 5%.
The 53-year-old will remain as team principal and CEO should the deal proceed.
Ownership Structure
The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own a third of the company.
An official representative stated: "We will be making no official statement on the matter. The governance of the team stays unaltered, and each shareholder are dedicated to continued achievements of the brand in Formula One."
Financial Growth
This arrangement would represent a substantial rise in value of Mercedes F1 since Ineos bought its share for £208 million in 2022.
This surge reflects the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the increasing appeal of Formula 1 around the world.
This was also seen in the success of the F1 movie starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630 million (£458 million) at cinemas worldwide.
It is Pitt's most successful movie and the most successful sports movie ever released.
Current Standings
Mercedes are second in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix left this season.
Their lead driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 races this year and is in fourth place in the drivers' championship after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
The team won a unprecedented eight straight constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 and 2021.
