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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in final negotiations to sell part of his shareholding in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

The deal estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – a record for an F1 team – following the McLaren team were valued at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to ownership structure last September.

Wolff, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake in the region of five percent.

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

Ownership Structure

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

An official representative stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The governance of Mercedes F1 will remain unchanged, and each shareholder are fully committed to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Valuation Increase

The deal signifies a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 since Ineos Group acquired its stake for £208 million in 2022.

This surge reflects the growth in market values of F1 teams recently as a consequence of the growing popularity of the sport around the world.

This was also seen in the success of the F1 movie starring Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and earned more than $630 million (£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 second in the team standings, trailing McLaren Racing, with three races remaining in the current championship.

Their lead driver British driver George Russell has secured victory in 2 of the 21 races this year and is in fourth place in the drivers' championship after McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

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