Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in final negotiations to offload part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – following McLaren were valued at £3.5bn in an adjustment to ownership structure in September.
Wolff, who owns one-third of Mercedes F1, plans to divest a stake approximately 5%.
The 53-year-old will remain as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through.
Ownership Breakdown
Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and industrial group Ineos, who each also own a third of the enterprise.
A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We are providing no official statement on this. The management structure of the team will remain unchanged, and each shareholder are dedicated to continued achievements of the brand in Formula One."
Valuation Growth
The deal signifies a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group acquired its stake for £208m in 2022.
This surge reflects the growth in valuations of F1 teams recently due to the growing popularity of the sport around the world.
This trend was evident with the box-office performance of the F1 movie starring Brad Pitt, which debuted last summer and earned over $630m (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.
The film represents the actor's top-grossing film and the highest-earning sports movie to date.
Current Performance
Mercedes are second in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix remaining this season.
Their lead driver George Russell has won two of the 21 grands prix so far and is fourth in the drivers' championship behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Mercedes secured a record eight straight constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, between 2014 and 2021.
