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

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

Wolff, who holds a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake approximately five percent.

The 53-year-old would stay on as team boss and CEO should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Structure

Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and industrial group Ineos Group, who each also own a third of the enterprise.

An official representative stated: "We will be making no comment on this. The governance of Mercedes F1 stays unchanged, and all three partners are fully committed to the ongoing success of the brand in Formula One."

Financial Growth

This arrangement would represent a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group acquired its stake for £208 million in 2022.

This surge demonstrates the growth in valuations of F1 teams recently as a consequence of the increasing appeal of the sport globally.

This trend was evident with the success of the F1 movie starring Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed over $630m (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

The film represents Pitt's most successful movie and the highest-earning sports film to date.

Present Performance

Mercedes are second in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three races remaining this season.

Their lead driver British driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 races so far and is fourth in the individual standings after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

The team secured a unprecedented eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.