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

The deal values the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – a record for a Formula 1 squad – following the McLaren team were valued at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to ownership structure in September.

Wolff, who owns a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a stake in the region of five percent.

The 53-year-old will remain as team boss and CEO if the sale goes through.

Shareholder Structure

Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos, who both hold one-third of the company.

An official representative said: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The governance of Mercedes F1 stays unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in F1."

Valuation Increase

This arrangement signifies a substantial rise in worth of Mercedes F1 since Ineos acquired its share for £208m in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the expansion in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently as a consequence of the increasing appeal of Formula 1 globally.

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

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

Current Standings

Mercedes are second in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix left this season.

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

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