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

This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5bn in an adjustment to corporate structure in September.

The Austrian executive, who owns one-third of Mercedes F1, would sell a shareholding approximately 5%.

The 53-year-old would stay on as team boss and CEO if the sale goes through.

Ownership Structure

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

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We will be making no official statement on this. The governance of Mercedes F1 stays unaltered, and each shareholder are dedicated to continued achievements of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Financial Growth

The deal signifies a significant increase in worth of Mercedes F1 after Ineos bought its share for £208 million in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years due to the increasing appeal of the sport around the world.

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

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

Present Standings

The Mercedes team are second in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren Racing, with three races remaining in the current championship.

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

Mercedes secured a record eight consecutive team titles and seven drivers' titles, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, between 2014 and 2021.