🔗 Share this article Toto Wolff Preparing to Divest Stake Valuing Mercedes F1 at £4.6bn Toto Wolff has guided Mercedes to record-breaking success in Formula 1 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 the Mercedes team at £4.6bn – a record for a Formula 1 squad – following McLaren were valued at £3.5 billion in a change of corporate structure in September. Wolff, who owns a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, would sell a stake in the region of five percent. The 53-year-old would stay on as team principal and CEO should the deal proceed. Ownership Structure Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos Group, who each also own one-third of the company. A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The management structure of Mercedes F1 will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One." Valuation Growth This arrangement signifies a significant increase in value of the Mercedes team after Ineos Group acquired its share for £208 million in 2022. This surge demonstrates the expansion in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently as a consequence of the growing popularity of the sport around the world. This was also seen in the box-office performance of the Formula 1 film starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and earned more than $630m (£458 million) at cinemas worldwide. It is Pitt's most successful film and the highest-earning sports film ever released. Current Performance The Mercedes team are second in the constructors' championship, trailing McLaren, with three races remaining in the current championship. Their lead driver British driver George Russell has won two 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. The team won a unprecedented eight straight team titles and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, between 2014 and 2021.