Toto Wolff shuts down INEOS-Mercedes split talk after W16 livery surprise

Toto Wolff has rubbished suggestions that the Mercedes F1 team and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS came close to splitting.

A report in The Telegraph earlier this week claimed that Mercedes were looking to buy the chemical giant out of its stake in the team and were involved in “tense negotiations” with Ratcliffe.

INEOS has an equal shareholding with Mercedes parent company Daimler and Wolff, Mercedes' motorsport boss and F1 team principal.

However, Wolff has rejected the report, insisting that Ratcliffe remains one of the “three amigos” involved in the eight-time constructors’ world champions.

"[It was] never a consideration," Wolff told Sky Sports News at the F1 75 season launch event at The O2 Arena in London on Tuesday.

"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 Crash.net: “There have been no discussions at any point of a shareholder change and sponsorship with Ineos is ongoing and stable."

Mercedes’ livery for the upcoming 2025 season, which was revealed on Tuesday evening, features a scaling back of INEOS branding.

Crash.net understands The Telegraph’s report is wide of the mark in numerous ways.

Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater said: “Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the boss of INEOS, who people will have learned in recent weeks is having to make cutbacks in terms of the sports enterprises he has been supporting.

“He is in litigation at the moment with New Zealand rugby. Sir Ben Ainslie, who was spearheading his Americas Cup challenge, is also taking him to court potentially.

“But what about Mercedes the Formula 1 team itself? Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a one-third owner of that F1 team, and there was a story in The Telegraph that Daimler-Benz were looking at arranging some funds to buy Ratcliffe out of his ownership, because perhaps he was not able to support the team via sponsorship, as he has done in previous years.

“Well, I’ve been in touch with Mercedes about this, and they assure me there is no truth in that story. There have been no discussions at any point of a shareholder change, and sponsorship with INEOS is ongoing and stable. That’s what the team are telling me.

“But, potentially expect that INEOS sponsorship to be less prominent on the car when it comes out from under wraps.”

Mercedes have a new driver line-up for 2025 with George Russell partnered by 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli, who has been chosen as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton left the Silver Arrows after an illustrious 12-season stint in order to complete a blockbuster switch to F1 rivals Ferrari.