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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to offload part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

This transaction estimates Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – following McLaren were valued at £3.5bn in a change of corporate structure last September.

Wolff, who owns 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 principal and CEO should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Breakdown

Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and industrial group Ineos, who both hold one-third of the enterprise.

A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We will be making no official statement on this. The management structure of Mercedes F1 stays unchanged, and each shareholder are fully committed to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Financial Growth

The deal signifies a substantial rise in value of Mercedes F1 since Ineos Group acquired its share for £208m in 2022.

This surge reflects the expansion in market values of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years due to 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 (£458 million) at the box office.

It is the actor's top-grossing movie and the most successful sports film to date.

Current Standings

The Mercedes team are second in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three races left in the current championship.

Mercedes' primary racer British driver George Russell has secured victory in 2 of the 21 grands prix so far and is fourth in the individual standings behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

The team won a unprecedented eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, between 2014 and 2021.