🔗 Share this article Toto Wolff Preparing to Divest Stake Pricing Mercedes Formula 1 Team at £4.6 Billion Toto Wolff has led Mercedes to historic achievements in Formula 1 Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team. This transaction estimates Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – following the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure in September. Wolff, who holds a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, plans to divest a stake in the region of 5%. The 53-year-old would stay on as team principal and chief executive officer if the sale goes through. Ownership Breakdown The other shareholders in the team are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos Group, who both hold one-third of the company. An official representative stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The management structure of Mercedes F1 stays unaltered, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1." Financial Growth The deal signifies a significant increase in worth of the Mercedes team after Ineos bought its share for £208m in 2022. This surge reflects the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the increasing appeal of the sport globally. This trend was evident with the box-office performance of the F1 movie starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and earned more than $630 million (£458m) at cinemas worldwide. The film represents Pitt's most successful movie and the most successful sports film to date. Current Performance Mercedes are second in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren Racing, with three races remaining this season. Their lead driver British driver George Russell has secured victory in 2 of the 21 grands prix so far 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 secured a unprecedented eight straight team titles and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.