Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 outfit.
This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6bn – a record for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure last September.
Wolff, who holds a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, would sell a stake approximately 5%.
The 53-year-old will remain as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through.
Shareholder Structure
The other shareholders in the team are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who both hold a third of the company.
A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We are providing no comment on this. The management structure of the team will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to continued achievements of the brand in F1."
Financial Growth
This arrangement signifies a significant increase in worth of the Mercedes team after Ineos bought its stake for £208m in 2022.
This surge reflects the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the increasing appeal of Formula 1 around the world.
This trend was evident with the success of the F1 movie featuring Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630 million (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.
It is the actor's top-grossing film and the most successful sports movie ever released.
Current Performance
Mercedes are runner-up in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren Racing, with three races remaining this season.
Mercedes' primary racer George Russell has won two of the 21 races this year and is fourth in the drivers' championship behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
The team secured a unprecedented eight consecutive team titles and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, between 2014 to 2021.
