Wolff Set to Divest Stake Valuing Mercedes Formula 1 Team at £4.6 Billion

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 a Formula 1 squad – following McLaren was appraised at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure in September.

Wolff, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a stake in the region of five percent.

Wolff, aged 53 would stay on as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through.

Ownership Breakdown

Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own a third of the enterprise.

A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We will be making no official statement on the matter. The governance of Mercedes F1 will remain unaltered, and each shareholder are dedicated to continued achievements of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Valuation Growth

This arrangement signifies a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos bought its stake for £208 million in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the growing popularity of Formula 1 globally.

This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, which debuted last summer and has grossed over $630m (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

The film represents the actor's top-grossing film and the highest-earning sports film ever released.

Present Performance

The Mercedes team are second in the team standings, trailing McLaren Racing, with three Grands Prix left in the current championship.

Mercedes' primary racer British driver George Russell has won two of the 21 races so far and is fourth in the drivers' championship after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

The team won a record eight straight team titles and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, between 2014 and 2021.