Mercedes F1 firmly denies any split with Ineos, despite its reduced visibility on the W16 livery, fueling fresh speculation over their partnership.
Mercedes F1 has denied being on the verge of losing its 33% shareholder and main sponsor, Ineos.
Several sources in England report that Toto Wolff was in conflict last year with his co-shareholder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, founder and CEO of the chemical company, to the point where Ineos and Mercedes were said to be “close to a split.”
This revelation comes just after the public unveiling of Mercedes’ new livery for 2025, with the Ineos brand now barely visible on the future W16.
Ineos has accumulated billions of euros in debt. Ratcliffe continues to make headlines for a series of cutbacks in other sports, notably at Manchester United. It has also been reported that New Zealand Rugby is taking legal action against Ineos, accusing Ratcliffe’s company of failing to pay the first installment of its 2025 sponsorship fees. Ineos is also involved in another legal dispute with Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team amid their separation.
A team spokesperson, however, insists that the relationship between Mercedes F1 and Ineos remains “ongoing and stable” and that the partnership is “not in question.”
“A split has never been a consideration,” Wolff said during the F1 season launch event in London.
“Jim Ratcliffe is one of our three friends—Mercedes, Jim, and me. We will never part ways. He has been a great sponsor. We have had projects together. Nothing you read in the news will change anything.”
However, it is undeniable that the red “Ineos” logo on the airbox and rear wing, still present on the 2024 Mercedes during Lewis Hamilton’s final race with the team in Abu Dhabi last year, is now completely gone, replaced by a plain grey finish on the 2025 livery.
Ineos and Ratcliffe have yet to comment.
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Mercedes F1 Shuts Down Ineos Split Rumors Amid Livery Change Mercedes F1 Shuts Down Ineos Split Rumors Amid Livery Change Mercedes F1 Shuts Down Ineos Split Rumors Amid Livery Change
