🔗 Share this article Wolff Set to Divest Shareholding Pricing Mercedes Formula 1 Team at £4.6 Billion Team Principal Wolff has guided Mercedes to historic achievements in Formula 1 Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team. This transaction estimates Mercedes at £4.6bn – a record for a Formula 1 squad – following the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to ownership structure in September. The Austrian executive, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake approximately 5%. Wolff, aged 53 would stay on as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through. Ownership Structure The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own a third of the enterprise. An official representative said: "We will be making no official statement on this. The management structure of Mercedes F1 stays unaltered, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1." Valuation Growth The deal would represent a substantial rise in value of the Mercedes team after Ineos Group acquired its stake for £208m in 2022. The rise reflects the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the increasing appeal of the sport around the world. This was also seen in the success of the F1 movie featuring Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630 million (£458 million) at cinemas worldwide. The film represents the actor's top-grossing movie and the highest-earning sports movie to date. Present Performance Mercedes are second in the team standings, trailing McLaren Racing, with three races left this season. Their lead driver George Russell has secured victory in 2 of the 21 grands prix so far and is fourth in the drivers' championship behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Mercedes secured a record eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.