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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

The deal estimates Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5bn in an adjustment to corporate structure last September.

Wolff, who holds a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, would sell a shareholding in the region of five percent.

The 53-year-old will remain as team principal and CEO should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Breakdown

Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos Group, who each also own a third of the company.

An official representative stated: "We will be making no official statement on the matter. The management structure of Mercedes F1 stays unaltered, and each shareholder are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."

Valuation Increase

This arrangement would represent a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 since Ineos bought its stake for £208 million in 2022.

The rise reflects the expansion in market values of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years due to the growing popularity of Formula 1 globally.

This was also seen in the box-office performance of the Formula 1 film starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630 million (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

The film represents Pitt's most successful film and the highest-earning sports film to date.

Present Standings

The Mercedes team are runner-up in the team standings, behind McLaren Racing, with three races left this season.

Their lead driver British driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 grands prix this year and is fourth in the drivers' championship behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

Mercedes secured a unprecedented eight consecutive team titles and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.