Yesterday, news emerged – not denied by Mercedes – suggesting that Toto Wolff is in talks to sell a portion of his ownership stake in the Formula 1 team. As is well known, the current team structure sees 33% owned by Mercedes-Benz, another 33% held by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS, and the remaining 33% controlled by Toto Wolff’s own holding company, with Wolff also serving as CEO and team principal of the squad.
Who is the mysterious partner
The investor reportedly ready to spend a staggering sum – with the team valued at around 6 billion dollars – to acquire 5% of Toto Wolff’s shares is George Kurtz, co-founder and CEO of CrowdStrike, according to a report from the Financial Times. CrowdStrike, an American company based in Austin, Texas, specializes in cybersecurity and has been a key partner of the Mercedes Formula 1 team since the 2019 season.
George Kurtz, aged 45, is not only a successful businessman but also a skilled racing driver. He has competed in GT and prototype categories and even took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he claimed a class victory in the LMP2 Pro/Am category in 2023. Kurtz has also had the opportunity to drive two Formula 1 cars from Mercedes – the 2013 W04 and the 2021 W12 – further underlining his deep passion for motorsport and his connection to the Brackley-based team.
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