Toto Wolff admits Mercedes must be ‘careful’ of F1 team winless in four years under 2026 regulations

Follow us on Google Discover

F1 will introduce its biggest overhaul to its regulations so far in the 2026 season, and Mercedes are widely expected to build the best engine for the new power unit rules.

Next year will mark the first time that Formula 1 has overhauled its engine, chassis, aero and tyre rules together as extensively. Not since F1 introduced the 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid engines that Mercedes dominated in 2014 have the power unit rules been changed as widely, too.

The Silver Arrows won the F1 drivers’ championship every year from 2014 to 2020, plus the constructors’ championship yearly from 2014 until 2021, thanks largely to investing early in their engine. But teams could only start their 2026 aero development work in January 2025.

F1’s 2026 engine rules, largely created to increase the electrical and combustion power split from 20/80 to 50/50, obliged Formula 1 to also transform the aerodynamic regulations. The enforced tweaks ultimately led to the introduction of active aerodynamics for the first time.

Toto Wolff admits Mercedes must be ‘careful’ about Alpine under F1’s 2026 regulations

The aerodynamic and chassis elements of the 2026 F1 regulations should see a return to the pre-2022 ground-effect cars with which Mercedes found vast success. Yet team boss Toto Wolff claims Mercedes cannot “ignore” engine customers Alpine or Williams being a threat.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Alpine’s Mercedes F1 engine deal starting in 2026

Renault closed its factory F1 engine division in 2024, so executive adviser Flavio Briatore and Wolff agreed on a deal for Alpine to become an engine customer of Mercedes. Alpine are to receive the supply Mercedes currently give Aston Martin, who will be a factory Honda team.

Yet as well as Mercedes’ 2026 F1 engine, widely expected to be the best power unit, Wolff is also aware that Alpine are currently enjoying the most wind tunnel testing time of any team. Only McLaren are allowed less time in the wind tunnel than Mercedes over the rest of 2025.

Wolff said, via quotes by Motorsport-Total: “Alpine or Williams shouldn’t be ignored, as they have plenty of wind tunnel time.

“When you’re as far behind in a championship as Alpine are at the moment, I think you get allocated 30 per cent more wind tunnel time. It adds up over the years, so you have to be careful.”

Toto Wolff highlights ‘the Adrian Newey factor’ that could help Aston Martin in 2026

Alpine (and Cadillac, who will make their debut in the 2026 F1 season) currently enjoy more wind tunnel testing time than their rivals as the allowances are set on a sliding scale based on the constructors’ standings, and Alpine sat last when the allowances were reset this July.

READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin managing technical partner Adrian Newey

But Wolff is also aware that Mercedes should keep Aston Martin in mind, as the Silverstone squad leave the Silver Arrows’ engine family to replace Red Bull as the factory Honda team. Aston Martin made Adrian Newey a 5% shareholder to join them after leaving Red Bull, too.

Wolff adds: “And we’re not even talking about Honda and Aston Martin, with their extensive wind tunnel time and the Adrian Newey factor. The way Formula 1 is today, with the regulations in place, anyone can be successful.”

Newey officially took over as Aston Martin’s new managing technical partner this March and has been fully focused on their car for F1’s 2026 regulations. Aston Martin hope investing in their 2026 car early will finally deliver them success, having never won a race in Formula 1.

Alpine also hope that switching from having a factory Renault engine to being a customer of Mercedes takes them to the top step of the podium. Esteban Ocon won the 2021 Hungarian GP over 1,500 days ago for Alpine’s only win since the team rebrand from Renault that year.