Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell 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 the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure in September.
Wolff, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a shareholding in the region of five percent.
Wolff, aged 53 will remain as team boss and CEO should the deal proceed.
Shareholder Structure
Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own a third of the company.
An official representative said: "We are providing no comment on this. The governance of the team will remain unaltered, and each shareholder are fully committed to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."
Financial Increase
The deal would represent a significant increase in value of the Mercedes team since Ineos bought its share for £208 million in 2022.
This surge demonstrates the expansion in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years due to the increasing appeal of Formula 1 around the world.
This was also seen in the success of the Formula 1 film featuring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630m (£458 million) at the box office.
It is Pitt's most successful film and the highest-earning sports movie to date.
Present Performance
The Mercedes team are second in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren, with three races remaining this season.
Their lead driver British driver George Russell has won 2 of the 21 grands prix so far and is fourth in the drivers' championship after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Mercedes won a unprecedented eight consecutive team titles and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.
