Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks 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 – after McLaren was appraised at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure last September.
The Austrian executive, who owns a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a shareholding approximately five percent.
The 53-year-old will remain as team boss and chief executive officer if the sale goes through.
Ownership Structure
Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own one-third of the company.
A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The management structure of the team will remain unaltered, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."
Financial Growth
This arrangement would represent a significant increase in worth of the Mercedes team since Ineos Group bought its share for £208m in 2022.
This surge reflects the expansion in valuations of F1 teams recently due to the growing popularity of the sport around the world.
This was also seen in the box-office performance of the Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630 million (£458m) at the box office.
The film represents Pitt's most successful movie and the most successful sports film to date.
Present Performance
The Mercedes team are second in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix remaining this season.
Their lead driver British driver George Russell has won two of the 21 races so far and is fourth in the individual standings behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.
The team won a unprecedented eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, between 2014 and 2021.
