Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to offload a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
The deal values the Mercedes team at £4.6bn – a record for an F1 team – after the McLaren team were valued at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure in September.
Wolff, who owns a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a stake approximately five percent.
The 53-year-old would stay on as team boss and chief executive officer if the sale goes through.
Ownership Breakdown
Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos Group, who each also own one-third of the company.
A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The governance of the team stays unaltered, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in F1."
Valuation Growth
This arrangement signifies a significant increase in value of the Mercedes team since Ineos Group bought its share for £208 million in 2022.
This surge demonstrates the expansion in market values of F1 teams recently due to the increasing appeal of the sport globally.
This trend was evident with the box-office performance of the F1 movie starring Brad Pitt, which was released last summer and has grossed more than $630 million (£458 million) at the box office.
The film represents Pitt's most successful film and the highest-earning sports movie to date.
Current Standings
Mercedes are runner-up in the team standings, trailing McLaren, with three Grands Prix remaining in the current championship.
Their lead driver George Russell has won two of the 21 grands prix this year and is fourth in the drivers' championship after McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
The team won a record eight straight constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.
