Toto Wolff Cools Mercedes 2026 Engine Hype, Warns of In-House Rivals
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff is pushing back against rumors labeling his team as the 2026 engine favorite, warning that their biggest threat may come from customer teams like McLaren and emphasizing that a strong power unit alone is not enough for success.
Despite being widely tipped as the favorite for the 2026 power unit regulations, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff is actively tempering expectations, emphasizing the competitive threat from their own customer teams and warning against complacency.
Why it matters:
The 2026 engine regulations represent a major reset, and Mercedes' historical advantage from the 2014 hybrid era has created immense external pressure. Wolff's public downplaying of their position is a strategic move to manage expectations internally and externally, while highlighting the modern reality where a competitive engine alone is no longer a guarantee of success against well-executed customer packages.
The details:
In a recent podcast appearance, Wolff dismissed any notion of assumed superiority for the 2026 project.
- He stated the team operates from a mindset of seeing "the glass as half empty," avoiding overconfidence.
- Wolff identified the primary competition as coming from within their own power unit supply network, which will include McLaren, Williams, and Alpine in 2026.
- He pointed to McLaren's 2025 performance with a Mercedes engine as proof that overall car performance, not just the power unit, is the decisive factor.
- Wolff warned that even a superior engine would first require beating their own customer teams, who could innovate in areas Mercedes may have overlooked.
The big picture:
Wolff's comments reflect a lesson learned from the recent competitive order, where a customer team (McLaren) has often outperformed the works squad. His strategy is to deflect the 'favorite' tag, which he views as dangerous. He suggested rumors of Mercedes dominance could motivate rivals, quoting a hypothetical competitor's thought: "We would like to position you as the favorite, but we are coming." This public stance of humility and focus on internal competition is designed to maintain a relentless development culture at Brackley as the 2026 deadline approaches.
What's next:
The true pecking order for the 2026 season will only become clear during pre-season testing. Until then, Wolff insists that nothing can be taken for granted, dismissing early speculation as "rumors discussed at the barber shop." Mercedes' immediate challenge is to ensure their 2026 power unit is not only powerful but also part of a cohesive car package that can withstand the intense competition from both rival manufacturers and their own ambitious customer teams.