Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell a portion of his shareholding in the Mercedes F1 outfit.
This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – after McLaren was appraised at £3.5 billion in a change of ownership structure in September.
The Austrian executive, who holds one-third of Mercedes F1, would sell a shareholding approximately 5%.
The 53-year-old would stay on as team boss and CEO if the sale goes through.
Shareholder Breakdown
The other shareholders in the team are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos Group, who both hold one-third of the enterprise.
An official representative stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The governance of the team stays unaltered, and all three partners are fully committed to continued achievements of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."
Valuation Increase
This arrangement signifies a significant increase in worth of the Mercedes team after Ineos Group acquired its stake for £208 million in 2022.
This surge reflects the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years due to the increasing appeal of the sport globally.
This was also seen in the success of the Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, which was released last summer and has grossed over $630m (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.
It is Pitt's most successful film and the highest-earning sports film ever released.
Current Standings
Mercedes are second in the team standings, behind McLaren Racing, with three Grands Prix left in the current championship.
Their lead driver George Russell has won 2 of the 21 grands prix 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 won a record eight straight team titles and seven drivers' titles, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 and 2021.
