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Toto Wolff is in final negotiations to sell part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

The deal estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6bn – a record for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team were valued at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure last September.

Wolff, who owns one-third of Mercedes F1, plans to divest a stake approximately five percent.

Wolff, aged 53 would stay on as team boss and chief executive officer if the sale goes through.

Shareholder Structure

The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who both hold one-third of the company.

An official representative stated: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The management structure of the team will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."

Financial Growth

This arrangement would represent a substantial rise in worth of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group acquired its stake for £208 million in 2022.

The rise reflects the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently as a consequence of the increasing appeal of Formula 1 around the world.

This was also seen in the box-office performance of the F1 movie featuring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and earned over $630m (£458 million) at the box office.

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

Current Standings

Mercedes are runner-up in the constructors' championship, trailing McLaren, with three Grands Prix left in the current championship.

Mercedes' primary racer British driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 races this year and is in fourth place in the drivers' championship behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

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