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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged 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 – after the McLaren team were valued at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to ownership structure last September.

The Austrian executive, who holds one-third of Mercedes F1, plans to divest a stake approximately five percent.

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

Ownership Breakdown

Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos Group, who each also own a third of the enterprise.

A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The governance of Mercedes F1 stays unchanged, and each shareholder are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in F1."

Financial Increase

This arrangement would represent a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group acquired its stake for £208 million in 2022.

This surge demonstrates the expansion in market values of F1 teams recently as a consequence of the increasing appeal of Formula 1 globally.

This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film featuring Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630 million (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

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

Present Performance

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

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

Mercedes secured a unprecedented eight straight team titles and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.