Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is engaged in final negotiations to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 outfit.
The deal estimates the Mercedes team at £4.6 billion – an unprecedented figure for a Formula 1 squad – after McLaren were valued at £3.5 billion in an adjustment to corporate structure in September.
The Austrian executive, who owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 operation, would sell a stake in the region of 5%.
The 53-year-old will remain as team boss and CEO should the deal proceed.
Ownership Breakdown
The other shareholders in Mercedes F1 are Mercedes and chemicals giant Ineos Group, who each also own 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 fully committed to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."
Financial Increase
The deal would represent a significant increase in worth of the Mercedes team after Ineos bought its share for £208 million in 2022.
The rise demonstrates the growth in market values of Formula 1 outfits in the past few years as a consequence of the growing popularity of the sport globally.
This was also seen in the success of the Formula 1 film starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which was released in summer 2023 and earned more than $630m (£458m) at cinemas worldwide.
The film represents Pitt's most successful movie and the most successful sports film to date.
Current 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 grands prix this year and is fourth in the drivers' championship behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Mercedes secured a unprecedented eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, from 2014 to 2021.
