Mercedes still opposed to 2026 engine rules tweaks

Toto Wolff firmly rejects any adjustments to the engine regulations set for 2026.

Following the unveiling of the upcoming chassis regulations in Montreal recently, teams and drivers labeled the proposal a "draft". They have raised significant concerns about the drastic chassis modifications needed to balance the increased reliance on electric power.

F1's Chief Executive, Stefano Domenicali, acknowledges that the tentative solution is not perfect as the ultimate deadline for the 2026 regulations approaches on June 30.

"When the (engine) rules were written, the political climate was different," he told Auto Motor und Sport.

"Without hybrid, we would not have attracted new manufacturers and would have lost established ones."

Opinions on modifying the engine regulations seem to vary depending on each team or manufacturer's current status in their development stages.

"There are teams that feel like they are already lagging behind, and others believe that they have done a good job," Toto Wolff has stated.

"That's quite normal when you're dealing with new about the regulations."

Mercedes, with its history of excellence, appears poised to leverage the current rules to excel with a powerful engine in 2026.

"If adjustments are necessary, I am confident the engine manufacturers will cooperate," mentioned Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's single-seater director.

However, as reported by Speed Week, Wolff asserts: "On the power unit side, the train has left the station. Improvements can and must still be made on the chassis side, but the process has already progressed too far with the engine."

Bruno Famin, head of Alpine (Renault), also seems hesitant to make changes.

"We have to be careful because we have already put two years of work into the power unit."

Christian Horner of Red Bull, which has taken the bold step of creating its own engine division in partnership with Ford for 2026, believes that the final decision rests with the FIA.

"There will always be teams that don't want to change anything," he remarked. "But the FIA decides. They have the knowledge and they run the simulations."