Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in final negotiations to sell part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
This transaction values Mercedes at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – after McLaren was appraised at £3.5 billion in a change of ownership structure last September.
The Austrian executive, who holds a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake in the region of five percent.
The 53-year-old would stay on as team boss and CEO if the sale goes through.
Shareholder Structure
The other shareholders in the team are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own one-third of the enterprise.
A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We will be making no official statement on the matter. The governance of the team will remain unchanged, and each shareholder are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."
Valuation Growth
The deal signifies a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 since Ineos bought its stake for £208 million in 2022.
This surge reflects the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently as a consequence of the growing popularity of Formula 1 around the world.
This was also seen in the success of the Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and earned more than $630m (£458 million) at cinemas worldwide.
The film represents the actor's top-grossing film and the most successful sports movie ever released.
Current Performance
The Mercedes team are runner-up in the constructors' championship, trailing McLaren Racing, with three races left in the current championship.
Their lead driver British driver George Russell has won 2 of the 21 grands prix so far and is fourth in the individual standings after McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
The team secured a record eight straight team titles and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 and 2021.
