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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell a portion of his shareholding in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

This transaction values Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – following McLaren were valued at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to ownership structure last September.

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

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

Shareholder Breakdown

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

A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We will be making no official statement on the matter. The governance of the team will remain unaltered, and each shareholder are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in Formula One."

Financial Growth

The deal signifies a substantial rise in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group bought its share for £208 million in 2022.

The rise reflects the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the growing popularity of Formula 1 globally.

This trend was evident with the box-office performance of the Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, which was released last summer and earned more than $630 million (£458 million) at cinemas worldwide.

The film represents Pitt's most successful movie and the most successful sports film ever released.

Present Standings

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

Mercedes' primary racer George Russell has secured victory in 2 of the 21 grands prix so far and is in fourth place in the drivers' championship after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

Mercedes won a unprecedented eight consecutive team titles and seven drivers' titles, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.