Toto Wolff Set to Divest Stake Valuing Mercedes F1 at £4.6bn

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in final negotiations to offload part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – after McLaren was appraised at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure last September.

Wolff, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a stake approximately 5%.

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

Ownership Structure

Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos, who both hold a third of the company.

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The governance of Mercedes F1 will remain unchanged, and all three partners are fully committed to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in F1."

Financial Increase

The deal would represent a substantial rise in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos acquired its share for £208m in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently 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 Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630m (£458m) at the box office.

It is the actor's top-grossing film and the most successful sports film to date.

Present Standings

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

Mercedes' primary racer British driver George Russell has won 2 of the 21 races this year and is fourth in the individual standings behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

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