Toto Wolff is reportedly in advanced discussions to sell a small portion of his 33% stake in the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team, which would value the eight-time constructors’ champions at around $6 billion.
According to multiple reports, the deal concerns a 5% stake through Wolff’s holding company – Motorsport Investment Ltd – and Sector understands it would not affect his role as Team Principal and CEO.
The Financial Times has named the prospective buyer as George Kurtz, CEO and co-founder of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, a long-time Mercedes partner and sponsor.
“The governance of the team will remain unchanged, and all three partners (Mercedes-Benz, Toto and INEOS) are fully committed to the ongoing success of Mercedes-Benz in Formula 1,” a Mercedes spokesperson told Sector.
The valuation would represent a record for an F1 team – surpassing McLaren’s recent $4.7 billion benchmark – and continue the trend of rising investment interest in the sport.
As Kirsten Sibbit-Johnston, Director of Strategy and Investment at The Sports Consultancy, told Sector, the $6 billion valuation is about more than just scaling up a small equity sale – it points to F1’s financial evolution and newfound investor confidence.
“What that figure really shows is that the level of revenue being generated by Formula 1 teams has increased significantly – and that investors are now buying in at multiples comparable to major football clubs like Manchester United,” she said.
“We’re seeing the valuation of F1 teams now reflect not just their sporting success but their media, commercial, and technology assets. They’re being seen as platforms for global engagement – not just racing outfits.”
Such a move would see F1 join the top-tier of global sports properties in terms of value, comparable to the Premier League or the NFL – the product of Liberty Media’s commercial growth strategy and younger fan demographics.
While the $6billion valuation makes headlines, Sibbit-Johnston cautioned that it does not necessarily mean a buyer would pay that figure for the entire team.
“These valuations are theoretical,” she explained. “They’re based on small minority transactions, not full takeovers. It’s unlikely anyone would pay $6billion cash for a Formula 1 team today – but it shows how much value investors believe is still to come.
“That balance of strength and speculation underlines F1’s financial momentum — with even small equity deals now setting billion-dollar benchmarks that signal deep investor confidence in the sport’s long-term growth.”
It’s unlikely anyone would pay $6billion cash for a Formula 1 team today – but it shows how much value investors believe is still to come.
Kirsten Sibbit-Johnston
Sibbit-Johnston also suggested that Wolff’s decision might be driven by strategic timing rather than necessity.
When Wolff joined Mercedes in early 2013, he brought both leadership and capital. Reports estimate his initial investment at around $165million at a time when the team was far less established as a commercial powerhouse.
Previously at Williams, where he had held equity and an executive role, his transition to Mercedes marked a strategic pivot into a team built for dominance.
“It sounds like he’s just wanting to liquidate a bit of his stock – maybe to reinvest elsewhere,” added Sibbit-Johnston.
“Mercedes are also narrowing their scope operationally. If revenues dip as a result, selling now makes good business sense.”
The potential sale is emblematic of a sport that has matured from a privately run series to a global investment enterprise.
F1’s expanding media revenues and operating model have created a marketplace where even minority stakes carry billion-dollar valuations.
“Formula 1 is by far the strongest global motorsport property,” Sibbit-Johnston concluded.
“It sits at the top of the tree – and investors believe there’s still more growth to come.”
