Mercedes won’t back down: “We won’t let ourselves be swayed by hair salon gossip”

The year isn’t even over, and Formula 1 is already dealing with its first major controversy ahead of the 2026 season. On Monday, the FIA met with the five engine manufacturers on the grid to address a loophole in the new regulations — one that has raised eyebrows across the paddock.

According to multiple reports, Red Bull and Mercedes are the two manufacturers under scrutiny. They’re suspected of finding a gray area in the updated rules that could allow them to increase the compression ratio of their new power units.

The 2026 regulations mandate a drop from the previous 18:1 ratio to 16:1, a requirement spelled out in section C5.4.3 of the rulebook. However, both companies may have discovered a legal workaround that would let them maintain the higher ratio — and shutting down that interpretation may be more complicated than expected, since it doesn’t technically violate the written rules.

Mercedes spots a new opportunity after years of struggle

Even before this controversy surfaced, Mercedes was already being talked about as a potential powerhouse in F1’s new era. For the Silver Arrows, the upcoming rule changes represent a fresh start — or, as some inside the team see it, a light at the end of a long tunnel.

Since the introduction of ground‑effect cars in 2022, Mercedes has struggled to understand the new aerodynamic philosophy, ending the dominant run they enjoyed with Lewis Hamilton. (Hamilton had already lost the title to Max Verstappen the year before.) But with another major reset coming in 2026, plus signs of progress this past season, Mercedes is back in the spotlight — even if they’re not ready to embrace the “favorites” label.

Team CEO Toto Wolff made that clear on F1’s official podcast Beyond The Grid, recorded before the engine‑regulation accusations surfaced.“You can never get complacent. We’re people who see the glass half empty, never half full,” the Austrian said.

Wolff Tries to Defuse the Hype

Wolff is determined to avoid the noise — and the pressure that comes with being labeled the team to beat. There’s still a long road ahead, especially since the new‑generation cars haven’t even hit the track yet. Their first closed‑door test is scheduled for January 26–30 at Circuit de Barcelona‑Catalunya.

Still, the reality is hard to ignore: McLaren won the world championship with a Mercedes power unit this season. Ferrari had a down year. Red Bull will be running its own engine for the first time — as will Audi — and Honda remains a few steps behind. Naturally, that puts a lot of attention on Mercedes.

“Everything starts with the enemy at home,” Wolff said. “McLaren was the best team this year with a Mercedes power unit, so if the power unit were superior — something we never feel entitled to claim — then we’d still have to beat Williams, McLaren, and Alpine.”

Mercedes Doesn’t See Itself as the Favorite

Wolff even admits Mercedes may be starting at a disadvantage compared to customer teams. “Some of them (Williams and Alpine) have had more wind‑tunnel time because they weren’t well‑positioned in the constructors’ championship. Some will come with innovations we may not have spotted,” he explained.

That’s why Wolff keeps repeating the same message: nothing can be taken for granted — not in this new era, and not even “if the Mercedes power unit ends up being the strongest” on the grid.

Expectations, he says, are dangerous. So are rumors. “Someone, somewhere — another team, another engine manufacturer, a fuel supplier — will think, ‘Sure, let them be called the favorites. We’ll take care of the rest.’”

So Wolff is staying calm and tuning out the noise. “That’s why we don’t get carried away by the gossip you hear at the hair salon,” he said.

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