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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in final negotiations to sell a portion of his shareholding in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

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

Wolff, who holds one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a shareholding in the region of 5%.

Wolff, aged 53 will remain as team boss and CEO should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Breakdown

The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own one-third of the enterprise.

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The governance of the team stays unchanged, and each shareholder are fully committed to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in F1."

Financial Growth

This arrangement would represent a substantial rise in value of Mercedes F1 since Ineos Group acquired its share for £208m in 2022.

This surge reflects the expansion in valuations of Formula 1 outfits recently as a consequence of the increasing appeal of the sport globally.

This was also seen in the box-office performance of the Formula 1 film featuring Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and has grossed over $630 million (£458 million) at the box office.

The film represents Pitt's most successful film and the highest-earning sports film ever released.

Present Standings

Mercedes are runner-up in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren Racing, with three races left this season.

Mercedes' primary racer George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 grands prix this year and is in fourth place in the individual standings after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

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