Toto Wolff has urged competitors to concentrate on improving their own cars rather than questioning the legality of the Mercedes power unit, insisting the design complies fully with the regulations as debate continues over a contentious interpretation of the F1 2026 engine rules.
Since late 2025, speculation has been swirling that at least two power unit manufacturers—Mercedes and Red Bull—have uncovered an innovative method to extract extra performance by devising a technical workaround.
The previous generation of engines operated at an 18:1 ratio, but the rules for 2026 see that figure lowered to 16:1. However, several manufacturers fear that Mercedes and—to a lesser extent, Red Bull—may have devised a method to push the compression ratio closer to 18:1 under running conditions, while still remaining fully compliant under the FIA’s static checks. It’s unclear whether Mercedes and Red Bull have found the same solution, or whether their workarounds differ in execution.
Ferrari, Audi and Honda formally raised their concerns with the governing body and called for greater clarity on the interpretation and enforcement of the regulations. The FIA aims to resolve the matter before the F1 2026 season opener in Melbourne on March 8.
Mercedes defiant as Wolff dismisses rivals’ complaints
Wolff, for his part, remains adamant that the 2026 Mercedes engine is legal, dismissing complaints from rival manufacturers as little more than pre-emptive excuse-making ahead of the upcoming season.
“The power unit corresponds to how the regulations are written, the power unit corresponds to how the checks are being done, the power unit corresponds of how these things are measured in any other vehicle and everything else I can’t judge upon,” he told the media.
Wolff then offered scathing advice to rivals: “So just get your shit together.”
He also hit out at the perceived scheming, saying: “Just… doing secret meetings and sending secret letters and keep trying to invent ways of testing that just don’t exist but maybe, you know, we’re all different. Maybe you want to find excuses before you’ve even started [the season] but that is really not how we would do things.”
Mercedes completed a solid and reliable shakedown outing in Barcelona last week, adding to speculation that the team may have made an early step forward with their 2026 engine. However, the true extent of any advantage will only become apparent once more representative running takes place as the season gets underway.
Horner: “F1 is about pushing the boundaries”
Meanwhile, Christian Horner, who stepped down from his position as Red Bull Racing team principal in mid-2025, addressed the controversy surrounding the 2026 engines in an interview with TODAY. Despite his departure from day-to-day team operations, Horner didn’t shy away from defending Red Bull’s engineering culture.
“Formula 1 is about pushing the boundaries. It’s about how you interpret regulations. Always has been, always will be,” he said when asked to weigh in on the engine row.
“Teams that are the most conservative are the teams that are never at the front of the grid. You’ve got to be pushing the envelope.”
Horner added: “It’s all about how you interpret regulations.
“Engineers—some of the brightest engineers on the planet—will be looking at those regulations and thinking, ‘Okay, how can I maximise performance?’”
Unsurprisingly, Horner stopped short of confirming whether Red Bull has indeed found a way to circumvent the new limitations.
FIA to address the dispute before season opener
The FIA has made it clear that it intends to settle the issue ahead of the season opener in Australia, to avoid the dispute casting a shadow over the championship.
Power unit manufacturers raised the issue with the FIA and will continue discussions before the season starts. The governing body has not yet indicated whether it plans to amend the regulations or change the way the checks are carried out.
