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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to offload part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 outfit.

This transaction values Mercedes at £4.6 billion – 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 Mercedes F1, plans to divest a stake in the region of 5%.

The 53-year-old will remain as team boss and chief executive officer should the deal proceed.

Ownership Structure

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

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The governance of the team will remain unchanged, and each shareholder are fully committed to continued achievements of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Valuation Growth

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

This surge demonstrates the growth in market values of F1 teams recently as a consequence of the increasing appeal of the sport globally.

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

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

Present Standings

The Mercedes team are runner-up in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix remaining this season.

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

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