Toto Wolff has rejected claims that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS came close to splitting with the Mercedes F1 team.
Ratcliffe, who is a minority shareholder of Manchester United, owns one-third of the F1 team with his company INEOS. Wolff and Mercedes-Benz also each own one-third of the team.
The Telegraph reported earlier this week that INEOS nearly split with Mercedes, which even looked at buying Ratcliffe’s shares.
“[It was] never a consideration,” Wolff told Sky Sports News at F1’s season launch event in London.
“Jim Ratcliffe is one of us three amigos – Mercedes, Jim and I. We are never going to part ways. He’s been a great sponsor. We have had projects together. Nothing you read in the news will change anything.”
A Mercedes spokesperson told Sky Sports News: “There have been no discussions at any point of a shareholder change and sponsorship with Ineos is ongoing and stable.”
INEOS have made cutbacks with the sports enterprises they have been supporting recently, most notably with cuts at Manchester United and increased ticket prices at Old Trafford amid a disappointing season on the field, with United only 15th in the Premier League.
The chemicals firm is in litigation with the New Zealand rugby union team over unpaid sponsorship fees. They have also split with Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team.
Wolff: Mercedes to start next chapter in 2025
Along with the other teams in F1, Mercedes revealed their 2025 livery at London’s O2 Arena at F1 75 Live on Tuesday.
The W16 will be given its own formal launch in Bahrain on Monday, before a shakedown on the same day when it is driven by George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, two days before pre-season testing.
This year is the first season Mercedes are without seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who has joined Ferrari.
“We are excited. It seems like such a long time that we haven’t raced,” said Wolff.
“Finally, [we get] to see whether we have improved the car and have the weekends like we had in Las Vegas, whether we can have more.”
He added: “Mercedes has a long history in motorsport and it’s an unbelievable honour to carry that baton forward. We start to write the next chapter in our story this year with George and Kimi, and we’re excited to get going.”
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