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

This transaction estimates Mercedes at £4.6 billion – a record for an F1 team – following the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in a change of corporate structure in September.

The Austrian executive, who holds a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, plans to divest a shareholding in the region of 5%.

The 53-year-old would stay on as team boss and chief executive officer should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Structure

Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who both hold one-third of the enterprise.

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We are providing no comment on the matter. The governance of the team stays unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."

Valuation Growth

This arrangement signifies a significant increase in worth of Mercedes F1 since Ineos acquired its share for £208 million in 2022.

The rise reflects the expansion in valuations of F1 teams in the past few years as a consequence of the growing popularity of the sport globally.

This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film featuring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which was released last summer and has grossed over $630m (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

The film represents Pitt's most successful movie and the most successful sports movie to date.

Current Standings

The Mercedes team are second in the team standings, trailing McLaren, with three races remaining in the current championship.

Their lead driver George Russell has won two 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 unprecedented eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.