Toto Wolff is engaged in advanced talks to sell part of his shareholding in the Mercedes F1 outfit.
The deal 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.
Wolff, who owns 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 chief executive officer 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 company.
A Mercedes spokesperson stated: "We will be making no official statement on this. The management structure of the team will remain unchanged, and all three partners are dedicated to the ongoing success of the brand in F1."
Financial Growth
This arrangement signifies a substantial rise in value of the Mercedes team since Ineos Group bought its stake for £208m in 2022.
This surge demonstrates the growth in valuations of Formula 1 outfits recently due to the growing popularity of the sport globally.
This was also seen in the box-office performance of the F1 movie starring Hollywood star Brad Pitt, which was released last summer and has grossed over $630 million (£458m) at the box office.
It is Pitt's most successful movie and the most successful sports movie ever released.
Present Standings
Mercedes are second in the team standings, behind McLaren Racing, with three races left in the current championship.
Their lead driver George Russell has won two of the 21 races this year and is fourth in the individual standings behind McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Mercedes secured a record eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven driver championships, six for Lewis Hamilton and one by Nico Rosberg, between 2014 to 2021.
