Toto Wolff Set to Divest Shareholding Pricing Mercedes F1 at £4.6 Billion

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

The deal values Mercedes at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for an F1 team – following the McLaren team were valued at £3.5 billion in a change of ownership structure in September.

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

Wolff, aged 53 would stay on as team principal and CEO should the deal proceed.

Shareholder Breakdown

Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos Group, who both hold one-third of the company.

An official representative stated: "We will be making no comment on the matter. The governance of the team stays unchanged, and each shareholder are fully committed to continued achievements of Mercedes-Benz in F1."

Valuation Increase

The deal signifies a significant increase in worth of the Mercedes team after Ineos Group bought its share for £208m in 2022.

The rise reflects the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits recently as a consequence of the growing popularity of the sport globally.

This was also seen in the success of the Formula 1 film starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and earned over $630 million (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

The film represents the actor's top-grossing movie and the highest-earning sports movie to date.

Current Performance

The Mercedes team are second in the constructors' championship, trailing McLaren, with three Grands Prix remaining in the current championship.

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

Mercedes won a unprecedented eight straight constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 and 2021.