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

This transaction estimates Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – following McLaren were valued at £3.5 billion in a change of corporate structure in September.

Wolff, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake approximately 5%.

Wolff, aged 53 would stay on as team boss and CEO should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Structure

The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and industrial group Ineos, who both hold one-third of the enterprise.

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We are providing no official statement on this. The governance of the team stays unaltered, and all three partners are fully committed to continued achievements of Mercedes-Benz in F1."

Financial Increase

The deal signifies a substantial rise in worth of Mercedes F1 since Ineos bought its stake for £208m in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the growing popularity of Formula 1 around the world.

This was also seen in the box-office performance of the F1 movie starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed over $630m (£458 million) at the box office.

The film represents the actor's top-grossing movie and the highest-earning sports film to date.

Current Standings

The Mercedes team are runner-up in the constructors' championship, trailing McLaren Racing, with three Grands Prix remaining this season.

Their lead driver British driver George Russell has won two of the 21 races this year and is fourth in the individual standings behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

Mercedes won a unprecedented eight straight team titles and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.