Wolff cools overriding concern regarding 2026 F1 regulations

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes concerns over the 2026 Formula 1 cars being too slow under the proposed regulations will be relaxed once engineers get to work.

Last month, the FIA released the guidelines that will shape the upcoming technical rules with the spotlight on lighter and slimmer cars with much-reduced downforce.

However, the FIA’s initial target to have 30% less downforce and 55% less drag than the current machines with the new cars has caused criticism from several figures.

Williams boss James Vowles divulged that simulations with a 2026 model have indicated the gap to the modern Formula 2 car would be “as small as a few seconds”.

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Speaking to Austrian broadcaster ORF, Wolff concurred with Vowles’ comments that the submitted rules under their present guise would make the cars “far too slow”.

“What we have at the moment is simply far too slow,” he underlined. “We sometimes have lap times that are up to 10 seconds slower.”

To mitigate the increased reliance on electrical energy on the engine, active aero will be used to increase downforce in the turns and boost top speed on the straights.

But McLaren’s Andrea Stella has issued there will be an imbalance unless revisions are made to reduce the dependence on the chassis to compensate for the engine.

However, Wolff has dismissed the suggestion that using the current chassis with the updated engine formula could be a viable solution to that particular perturbance.

“If you were to implement the current regulations, the speed would definitely be too low,” he added.

Nevertheless, Wolff is optimistic that the estimated lap time loss will be reduced once the technical minds inside each team allocate complete attention to the rules.

“Formula 1 has always been an innovation incubator, and I am convinced that with what the engineers will come up with and, with the [chassis] regulations, which we still have to change, the cars will definitely become fast again,” he said.

“It’s still much faster than anything else out there, and you have to leave the church in the church: There is no difference for the television viewer.

“IndyCars look fast, but they are 20 seconds slower.”

The Austrian, 52, has conceded, though, that altering the 50/50 ratio between electric and combustion power could have diminished some problems that have arisen.

“Perhaps we would have done a little less battery and more combustion engine, because we are running 100% biofuel anyway,” he explained.

“It’s 100 per cent sustainable. So something could have been adapted. But that ship has sailed.”