Wolff Set to Divest Shareholding Valuing Mercedes F1 at £4.6bn

Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to offload part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

This transaction values the Mercedes team at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – following McLaren was appraised at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure in September.

Wolff, who holds one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a shareholding in the region of 5%.

Wolff, aged 53 would stay on as team boss and chief executive officer if the sale goes through.

Ownership Breakdown

The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos, who both hold one-third of the company.

A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We will be making no official statement on this. The governance of the team stays unaltered, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in F1."

Valuation Increase

This arrangement would represent a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group bought its share for £208 million in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the growth in valuations of F1 teams recently due to the increasing appeal of the sport globally.

This was also seen in the success of the F1 movie featuring Hollywood star 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 most successful sports movie ever released.

Current Standings

Mercedes are second in the team standings, trailing McLaren Racing, with three Grands Prix remaining in the current championship.

Mercedes' primary racer British driver George Russell has won two of the 21 races this year 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 straight constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 and 2021.