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

The deal values Mercedes at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team were valued at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure last September.

Wolff, who owns a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, plans to divest a shareholding approximately five percent.

Wolff, aged 53 will remain as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through.

Shareholder Structure

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

A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We will be making no comment on this. The governance of Mercedes F1 stays unchanged, and each shareholder are dedicated to continued achievements of the brand in Formula One."

Financial Growth

The deal would represent a significant increase in worth of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group bought its stake for £208m in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the increasing appeal of Formula 1 globally.

This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film featuring Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and has grossed more than $630m (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

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

Present Performance

Mercedes are second in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren Racing, with three Grands Prix remaining in the current championship.

Their lead driver George Russell has won two of the 21 races 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 drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.