Wolff Preparing to Divest Stake Pricing Mercedes F1 at £4.6 Billion
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
This transaction values the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – a record for a Formula 1 squad – following the McLaren team were valued at £3.5bn in an adjustment to corporate structure in September.
Wolff, who holds a 33% stake of the Mercedes F1 operation, plans to divest a stake in the region of five percent.
The 53-year-old would stay on as team principal and chief executive officer should the deal proceed.
Ownership Breakdown
The other shareholders in the team are Mercedes-Benz and chemicals giant Ineos, who each also own a third of the company.
An official representative said: "We will be making no official statement on this. The governance of the team will remain unchanged, and each shareholder are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."
Financial Growth
This arrangement would represent a significant increase in worth of Mercedes F1 after Ineos bought its stake for £208m in 2022.
This surge demonstrates the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the growing popularity of the sport globally.
This trend was evident with the success of the Formula 1 film featuring Brad Pitt, which debuted in summer 2023 and earned over $630m (£458 million) at the box office.
It is Pitt's most successful movie and the highest-earning sports film to date.
Current Standings
Mercedes are second in the constructors' championship, behind McLaren, with three races remaining in the current championship.
Their lead driver George Russell has secured victory in 2 of the 21 grands prix so far and is in fourth place in the drivers' championship after McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen.
Mercedes won a record eight straight constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 and 2021.
