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

This transaction values Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – after McLaren was appraised at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure in September.

The Austrian executive, who holds one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake approximately five percent.

The 53-year-old will remain as team principal and CEO should the deal proceed.

Ownership Breakdown

The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos, who each also own one-third of the company.

An official representative said: "We are providing no official statement on the matter. The management structure of Mercedes F1 stays unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to continued achievements of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Financial Growth

The deal would represent a substantial rise in worth of Mercedes F1 since Ineos Group bought its stake for £208m in 2022.

The rise reflects the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the increasing appeal of the sport around the world.

This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which was released last summer and earned over $630 million (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

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

Current Standings

Mercedes are second in the constructors' championship, trailing McLaren, with three races remaining in the current championship.

Their lead driver George Russell has won 2 of the 21 races this year and is fourth in the individual standings behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

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