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

This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6bn – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – after the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5bn in an adjustment to corporate structure in September.

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

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

Ownership Breakdown

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

An official representative said: "We are providing no comment on this. The management structure of Mercedes F1 stays unaltered, and each shareholder are dedicated to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One."

Financial Increase

The deal signifies a substantial rise in value of the Mercedes team since Ineos bought its stake for £208 million in 2022.

The rise reflects the expansion in market values of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the growing popularity of Formula 1 globally.

This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, which debuted last summer and earned more than $630 million (£458 million) at the box office.

It is the actor's top-grossing film and the most successful sports film to date.

Present Standings

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

Their lead driver British driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 grands prix this year and is in fourth place in the individual standings behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Mercedes secured a record eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, from 2014 and 2021.