Toto Wolff Blasts Mercedes Rivals Over 2026 Engine Accusations

The 2026 season is right around the corner, with a majority of the teams already having started development for the season. Amid the preparations, Mercedes was reportedly leading the development and seemed to be the favorite to perform well over the season. Because of this lead, rivals accused Brackley of a compression ratio trick, which could be borderline illegal. Now, Toto Wolff snaps back at these claims and reveals the truth.

Following the announcement of the 2026 regulations, the compression ratio was reduced from 18:1 to 16:1 this year. Though a majority of the teams were believed to be in the accepted legal limit of engine compression, Red Bull and Mercedes were suspected of having found a clever trick to achieve better compression.

Toto Wolff wasn’t too delighted with the accusations and was having none of them. Wolff questioned why the rivals would concentrate on other teams and keep arguing a case that was transparent from the beginning. The Austrian reassured that Mercedes had a conversation with the FIA, and it was very positive from the beginning of the season.

I just don’t understand why some teams concentrate more on the others and keep arguing a case that is very clear and transparent, Communication with the FIA was very positive all along. It’s not only on compression ratio but on other things too.

Toto Wolff told RacingNews365.

Further, Toto Wolff was not mincing his words while calling out the rivals who accused Mercedes of using illegal tricks. He asserted that other teams needed to get their ‘s**t’ together and not focus on Brackley. Wolff revealed that the rivals were holding secret meetings and sending letters to invent ways of testing cars that didn’t exist, just to prove that Mercedes was doing something illegal.

So just get your s**t together, They are just doing secret meetings and sending secret letters and keep trying to invent ways of testing that just don’t exist.

Toto Wolff added.

Toto Wolff reassures focus on ‘minimizing distractions’

Mercedes was unable to achieve the best possible results during the ground-effect era and hence would want to perform much better in the upcoming season. Many believe that the 2026 season might witness a Mercedes-powered champion. Now, Toto Wolff reassures that the team’s priority is its own performance, not the outside noise.

Toto Wolff pointed out that Mercedes wanted to minimize distractions and focus on their own development. The German carmaker was sure that its power unit was compliant with the regulations and did not include any illegal tricks. Moreover, the FIA had green-flagged Brackley’s engines and found no issues. Wolff reckoned that rivals just needed excuses for their own shortcomings in power unit development.

I can just say at least from us here we are trying to minimize distractions. Minimizing distractions is looking more at us than everybody else when it’s pretty clear what the regulations say and also pretty clear what the FIA has said to us. We’re all different. Maybe you want to find you want to find excuses before you’ve even started when things are not good.

Toto Wolff noted.

The first race weekend of the 2026 season is still around a month away. A majority of the teams will have enough time to work on their challenger and achieve the best start possible. Mercedes has certainly turned the heads of its rivals, which proves that it is doing well in terms of engine development. The German carmaker just needs to ensure consistency over the season.

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