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Toto Wolff is engaged in final negotiations to offload a portion of his shareholding in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – following the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure in September.

Wolff, who holds a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a shareholding approximately 5%.

The 53-year-old would stay on as team boss and CEO should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Structure

The other shareholders in the team are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos Group, who both hold one-third of the enterprise.

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The governance of the team stays unaltered, and each shareholder are fully committed to continued achievements of the brand in Formula One."

Valuation Growth

The deal would represent a significant increase in value of the Mercedes team after Ineos Group acquired its share for £208m in 2022.

This surge demonstrates the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the increasing appeal of Formula 1 around the world.

This trend was evident with the success of the F1 movie featuring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed over $630 million (£458m) at the box office.

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

Present Performance

Mercedes are runner-up in the constructors' championship, trailing McLaren Racing, with three races remaining this season.

Their lead driver British driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 grands prix so far and is in fourth place in the individual standings after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

The team won a unprecedented eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.