Toto Wolff has become nearly synonymous with the Mercedes Formula One project since he invested in the organisation and assumed the role of team principal back in 2013.
However, with his 33 per cent stake in the team now valued at an estimated £1 billion ($1.26 billion), the time may have come for the Austrian to consider stepping away and selling up.
The 52-year-old joined Mercedes over a decade ago, relinquishing his shares in F1 rivals Williams to become a director at the Silver Arrows.
Wolff parted with a substantial eight-figure sum to acquire his stake in the team, and that investment has since propelled his personal net worth into the billions.
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According to Forbes, the Mercedes team’s valuation has escalated from £1.07 billion ($1.35 billion) at the time of Liberty Media’s takeover in 2017 to an astounding £3.02 billion ($3.8 billion) in 2023.
This surge has significantly augmented Wolff’s personal net worth, which was most recently estimated at £1.27 billion ($1.6 billion).
Approximately £1 billion ($1.26 billion) of Wolff’s net worth is attributed to his 33 per cent stake in Mercedes, and several factors indicate that the 2024 season presents an ideal opportunity for him to orchestrate his departure from the team.
The most compelling argument for Wolff to divest his investment pertains to the state of the Mercedes F1 operation.
The Silver Arrows persisted with the ill-fated design philosophy behind the W13 when unveiling their 2023 challenger, culminating in a winless season for the first time in a decade.
Another factor that could sway any team owner to sell is the relative dearth of excitement that the sport has generated over the past two seasons.
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The perfect storm of the 2021 title fight, coupled with the triumph of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, propelled F1’s popularity to new heights.
However, with Verstappen winning 19 and Red Bull claiming victory in 21 of the 22 Grands Prix last season, casual supporters are being deterred from tuning in week after week.
Another one-sided campaign could inflict significant harm on the sport’s broader appeal, resulting in dwindling viewership figures.