Toto Wolff Set to Sell Shareholding Valuing Mercedes Formula 1 Team at £4.6 Billion

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

The deal values the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in a change of ownership structure last September.

The Austrian executive, who owns a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, would sell a shareholding in the region of five percent.

Wolff, aged 53 would stay on as team principal and CEO should the deal proceed.

Ownership Breakdown

Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who both hold one-third of the company.

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The management structure of the team stays unaltered, and each shareholder are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Valuation Increase

This arrangement would represent a substantial rise in value of Mercedes F1 since Ineos bought its stake for £208 million in 2022.

This surge reflects the expansion in market values of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the growing popularity of Formula 1 around the world.

This trend was evident with the box-office performance of the Formula 1 film featuring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and earned over $630 million (£458m) at the box office.

It is the actor's top-grossing movie and the highest-earning sports film ever released.

Present Standings

Mercedes are runner-up in the team standings, trailing McLaren, with three races left this season.

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

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