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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to sell part of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

This transaction estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – a record for an F1 team – following the McLaren team was appraised at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure last September.

The Austrian executive, who holds one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a shareholding approximately five percent.

The 53-year-old would stay on as team principal and CEO if the sale goes through.

Shareholder Breakdown

Remaining partners in the team are Mercedes-Benz and industrial group Ineos, who both hold a third of the company.

An official representative said: "We will be making no comment 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."

Financial Growth

This arrangement would represent a substantial rise in value of the Mercedes team after Ineos acquired its share for £208m 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 was also seen in the box-office performance of the Formula 1 film featuring Brad Pitt, which debuted last summer and has grossed over $630 million (£458m) at the box office.

The film represents the actor's top-grossing film and the most successful sports film to date.

Present Performance

The Mercedes team are runner-up in the team standings, behind McLaren, with three Grands Prix left this season.

Their lead driver George Russell has secured victory in two of the 21 races so far and is in fourth place in the individual standings behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.

Mercedes secured a record eight consecutive team titles and seven driver championships, six won by Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.