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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell part of his shareholding in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – a record for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in a change of ownership structure in September.

Wolff, who holds a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, would sell a stake approximately five percent.

The 53-year-old would stay on as team principal and chief executive officer if the sale goes through.

Shareholder Structure

The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos, who both hold a third of the enterprise.

An official representative said: "We will be making no official statement on the matter. The management structure of Mercedes F1 will remain unaltered, and all three partners are fully committed to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Valuation Growth

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

The rise reflects the expansion in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the growing popularity of Formula 1 around the world.

This was also seen in the success of the F1 movie starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which was released last summer and has grossed more than $630m (£458 million) at the box office.

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

Present Standings

Mercedes are runner-up in the team standings, trailing McLaren Racing, with three races remaining in the current championship.

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's Max Verstappen.

The team secured a record eight consecutive team titles and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, between 2014 to 2021.