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

The deal estimates Mercedes at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – following McLaren was appraised at £3.5bn in an adjustment to corporate structure in September.

Wolff, who owns a 33% stake of Mercedes F1, would sell a shareholding approximately five percent.

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

Shareholder Structure

Remaining partners in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes-Benz and industrial group Ineos, who both hold a third of the company.

A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We are providing no comment on this. The governance of Mercedes F1 will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to continued achievements of the brand in Formula One."

Valuation Increase

The deal signifies a significant increase in value of Mercedes F1 after Ineos Group acquired its share for £208 million in 2022.

The rise demonstrates the growth in valuations of F1 teams recently as a consequence of the increasing appeal of the sport globally.

This trend was evident with the success of the F1 movie starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which debuted last summer and earned over $630m (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.

The film represents the actor's top-grossing movie and the most successful sports movie ever released.

Present Performance

Mercedes are runner-up in the team standings, behind McLaren Racing, with three Grands Prix remaining in the current championship.

Mercedes' primary racer British 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's Max Verstappen.

Mercedes secured a unprecedented eight consecutive team titles and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.