Wolff Set to Divest Stake Valuing Mercedes Formula 1 Team at £4.6 Billion
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to offload a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 outfit.
This transaction estimates Mercedes at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – following McLaren were valued at £3.5bn in a change of ownership structure in September.
The Austrian executive, who holds a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, plans to divest a shareholding approximately 5%.
The 53-year-old will remain as team boss and CEO should the deal proceed.
Shareholder Breakdown
Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes and industrial group Ineos Group, who each also own one-third of the company.
An official representative stated: "We will be making no official statement on the matter. The management structure of the team stays unaltered, and each shareholder are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in Formula One."
Valuation Growth
This arrangement would represent a significant increase in worth of the Mercedes team after Ineos Group bought its stake for £208m in 2022.
This surge demonstrates the expansion in valuations of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the increasing appeal of the sport around the world.
This was also seen in the success of the Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, which debuted last summer and has grossed over $630 million (£458 million) at the box office.
It is the actor's top-grossing movie and the most successful sports movie to date.
Present Standings
Mercedes are runner-up in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three races remaining this season.
Their lead driver British driver George Russell has won two 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's Max Verstappen.
Mercedes won a record eight consecutive team titles and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg, between 2014 and 2021.
