Toto Wolff has launched a strong defence of Mercedes amid the growing power unit controversy, aiming a clear message at Ferrari and the team’s other rivals. Anonymous letters, private meetings and ongoing doubts over the legality of certain technical solutions have pushed the Mercedes boss to speak out publicly, questioning whether competitors are focusing too much on Brackley instead of their own projects.
The debate centres on the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, which place the new power units at the heart of the technical revolution. Getting the concept right from the start could prove decisive and, despite the introduction of the ADUO, may offer a long-term competitive advantage to the most successful engine manufacturer. Ferrari, Audi and Honda are all fully aware of this and have reportedly been raising questions for months about a rumoured compression ratio solution, wondering whether it could represent a breach of the rules.
With the FIA yet to issue a statement that fully satisfies all parties, the topic continues to dominate paddock discussions. However, Toto Wolff has made it clear that he sees little ambiguity in the regulations or in Mercedes’ position.
“I don’t understand why some teams focus more on others and keep pushing a controversy about something that is very clear and transparent,” said Toto Wolff, Mercedes executive director. “The communication with the FIA has been positive from the beginning. It’s not only about the compression ratio, but also other aspects. In that specific area, it’s very clear what the regulations say.”
Anonymous letters and secret meetings: Mercedes responds
Toto Wolff did not hold back when addressing what he sees as behind-the-scenes manoeuvring by rival teams, accusing them of creating unnecessary distractions instead of concentrating on their own development work.
“I say to these teams: focus on your own job,” Toto Wolff continued. “They keep organising secret meetings, sending confidential letters and trying to invent ways of testing the power unit that simply do not exist. From our side, we are trying to minimise distractions. We look more at ourselves than at others, because it is quite clear what the regulations say and what the FIA has told us.”
The Mercedes boss also suggested that some competitors may already be preparing excuses before the new era has even properly begun.
“Maybe some want to find excuses even before starting, in case things don’t go well,” Toto Wolff added. “Everyone has to do the best possible job, but that’s not how we work, especially when you’ve been told quite clearly that everything is fine. If someone wants to have fun creating distractions, they are free to do so.”
As the 2026 regulations draw closer, the power unit debate is unlikely to fade away. For now, Mercedes remains firm in its stance, with Toto Wolff confident in both the legality of the team’s work and its ongoing dialogue with the FIA, while urging rivals to turn their attention back to their own garages.
Toto Wolff’s fiery defense of the Mercedes 2026 Power Unit highlights the immense political tension that currently grips the paddock as the new technical era begins to take shape. By dismissing the allegations regarding compression ratios as mere “distractions” and “excuses,” Wolff is signaling that Mercedes believes it has found a legal performance edge that its rivals—specifically Ferrari and Audi—are now desperate to neutralize through FIA intervention. While the governing body’s final clarification on these engine parameters will be decisive, Wolff’s refusal to engage in “secret meetings” suggests that the Silver Arrows are entering 2026 with a level of technical confidence that is already making the rest of the grid very nervous.
