Toto Wolff is currently in discussions to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 team. Wolff, who holds a 33 percent stake and serves as the team’s chief executive and principal, is reportedly finalizing a deal to sell a small share of his ownership to an external investor.
Sources indicate that Wolff is in negotiations to sell between five and 10 percent of the team, potentially valuing the F1 outfit at approximately £4.5 billion. If the sale is completed, Wolff stands to receive a substantial nine-figure sum while retaining all his current responsibilities within the team.
While Mercedes confirmed that Wolff will maintain his current roles, the company declined to comment on the specific changes in ownership structure. Currently, ownership of the team is evenly split between Wolff, the Mercedes-Benz Group, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS petrochemicals company.
According to a team spokesperson, all three partners remain fully committed to Mercedes-Benz’s success in Formula 1. The reported deal, initially disclosed by Sportico, would establish a record-high valuation for an F1 team, surpassing the £3 billion valuation of McLaren after a recent ownership change.
The increasing global popularity of Formula 1 has significantly boosted the value of all teams in recent years. Notably, the Formula 1: Drive to Survive series on Netflix has played a pivotal role in attracting new audiences, particularly in the USA, leading to the addition of three annual races in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas.
For avid Formula 1 fans, Sky’s new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle offers live coverage of every practice, qualifying session, and race, along with access to over 100 TV channels, Netflix, and Discovery+ subscriptions at a discounted rate.
INEOS acquired a one-third stake in the Mercedes F1 team for around £200 million in January 2022. With Wolff’s proposed stake sale, the team’s valuation is set to skyrocket by 650 percent in less than four years.
Even less successful teams like Haas have benefited from the sport’s increased popularity, with reports suggesting that owner Gene Haas has turned down offers exceeding £1 billion for his team in the past year.
