Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has urged competing teams to concentrate on their own operations amid a continuing dispute regarding the interpretation of this year’s engine regulations, stating, “get your s— together.”
The dispute revolves around the engine’s compression ratio, which has been decreased from 18:1 in 2025 to 16:1 this year under the 2026 regulations, ostensibly to facilitate competition for new power unit manufacturers.
However, the regulations specify that the compression ratio will only be assessed at ambient temperatures, leading to speculation that Mercedes, and to a lesser degree Red Bull, may have discovered methods to achieve higher compression ratios, and thus more power, when the engine is heated.
This matter was addressed among power unit manufacturers and the sport’s governing body, the FIA, prior to last week’s initial preseason test in Barcelona, with additional meetings planned before the season commences.
It remains uncertain whether modifications will be made to the regulations—potentially to evaluate the compression ratio while the engine is operating at elevated temperatures—but Wolff indicated that Mercedes’ competitors would be better served by focusing on their own performance rather than lobbying the FIA.
“Regarding the engine issue, I simply don’t comprehend why some teams focus more on others and continue to argue a case [on something] that is quite clear and transparent,” he stated ahead of Mercedes’ season launch event on Monday.
“Communication with the FIA has been very positive throughout—this pertains not only to the compression ratio but to other matters as well.
“And specifically in that domain, the regulations are very clear. It is evident what the, let’s say, standard procedures are for any motors, even outside of Formula 1.
“So just get your s— together. And, you know, engaging in secret meetings and sending confidential letters while attempting to devise testing methods that simply do not exist… I feel like I can say at least from our perspective, we are striving to minimize distractions, and minimizing distractions means focusing more on ourselves than on others when it is quite clear what the regulations state, and also quite clear what the FIA has communicated to us and to them thus far.
“But perhaps we are all different. Maybe some prefer to seek excuses before they even begin [for] why things are not satisfactory. So, yes, everyone needs to perform to the best of their abilities. But that is really not how we would approach things.
“Especially not after being informed several times that this is acceptable. You know, it’s legal and aligns with what the regulations stipulate. But again, if someone wishes to entertain themselves with distractions, then everyone is free to do so.”
When asked specifically if Mercedes’ power unit is compliant and whether he anticipated rivals to file a protest after the first race, Wolff reaffirmed that F1’s governing body, the FIA, was fully informed of Mercedes’ strategy regarding the new regulations.
“The power unit is legal,” he added. “The power unit complies with how the regulations are articulated. The power unit adheres to how the checks are conducted. The power unit aligns with how these aspects are measured in any other vehicle, and everything else I cannot assess.
“But that is our current perspective. And that is what the FIA has indicated, that is what the president of the FIA has stated, and he possesses considerable knowledge on the matter. In that regard, let’s wait and see.
“But we feel confident.”
Mercedes approaches the new regulations as the frontrunners following a strong initial test in Barcelona, where it recorded the highest mileage over three days of track activity.
However, Wolff remarked that it is premature to evaluate the relative competitiveness of the cars, with further developments and performance assessments expected to yield a clearer understanding at two upcoming tests in Bahrain before the season’s first race in Australia on March 8.
“As you know, I am always skeptical about performances,” he said. “I have often set my expectations inappropriately.
“And I simply do not want to arrive at a realization in Bahrain or in Melbourne that we are not what we anticipated—namely, to be a race winner. That is simply due to that, and I believe we need to accomplish more work at that point.”
Wolff expressed that the initial test left him optimistic that his team’s car would at least be among the leaders and not battling for points in the midfield as it did at times under the previous regulations.
“Yes, we feel encouraged about entering this new environment. You wake up with a big smile if your car is fast, and the early indications we received were positive, suggesting that at least we do not appear to be struggling in the midfield.
“It seems we have something to build upon. So yes, overall we are pleased, but with the skepticism of knowing that we do not have reliable data on the other usual contenders.”
Source: espn.com
