Toto Wolff Preparing to Sell Stake Valuing Mercedes F1 at £4.6bn

Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell a portion of his shareholding in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

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

The Austrian executive, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake approximately 5%.

Wolff, aged 53 will remain as team boss and CEO should the deal proceed.

Ownership Breakdown

Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes-Benz and industrial group Ineos Group, who each also own one-third of the enterprise.

An official representative stated: "We are providing no comment on this. The governance of the team will remain unaltered, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in Formula One."

Valuation Growth

The deal signifies a significant increase in worth of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group bought its share for £208 million in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the expansion in market values of F1 teams recently as a consequence of the growing popularity of the sport globally.

This trend was evident with the box-office performance of the Formula 1 film featuring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted last summer and has grossed more than $630m (£458 million) at cinemas worldwide.

It is the actor's top-grossing movie and the highest-earning sports movie ever released.

Current Standings

The Mercedes team are second in the team standings, behind McLaren Racing, with three races remaining this season.

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

Mercedes won a unprecedented eight straight constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.