Mercedes send ominous warning over 2026 F1 rules - which could tempt Max Verstappen
Mercedes are talking up the🐭ir chances in 2026 - which could tempt Max Verstappen i🌌nto making a move.
Mercedes appear to be optimistic about their chances of returning to the pinnacle of F1 when the new eng🌄ine rules are introduced in 2026.
The 2026 F1 cars will have♕ a new engine with an almost 50-50 split between internal combustion ꧒engine and electrical power.
The MGU-H 🎀has also been removed - marked as the most significant change for the new rules - while the MGU-K has been upgraded.
The new rules have been made 🏅to appease engine manufacturers, with Honda and Audi joining the sport alongside the existing quartet of Mercedes, Ferrari, Renau෴lt and Red Bull RBPT.
Mercedes fam♓ously stole a march on the new engine rules in 2014, ultimately leading to their plethora of dominance, mainly down to how superior their power unit was.
Williams, who ran their power unit in 2🥂014, went from back of the midfield to regular podium finisher within a se☂ason.
Speaking to Sky Spo💎rts during the Imola weekend, technical director James Allison shed light on the optimism inside Mercedes at the 🍷moment.
"I wasn't in the team in the run-up to 2014 when the new generation of powerཧ units were being concocted and the enormous push to make them a reality was taking place,” he said. "But those of us in the team who were, tell me th♉at the feeling is very similar.
"There is a massive shove going on 🍒in HPP [Mercedes High Performance Powertrains] to make a success of that because it will set the course of anyone wh꧟o's lucky enough to have that in the back of their car for some seasons to come.
"We're lucky that we will be on the receiving end of 🌳all the good investment they are making on our joint behalf🍒."
Toto Wolff was similarly confident about Mercedes’ chances ahead of the new regulat🐼ions, admitting he “can’t wait” for them.
"We have an engine department that is goꦰod as it can be with a🌺 top leadership," Wolff added.
"There is not a millimetre in 🐲HPP that I wish would be different in terms of organisational set-up, in terms of the people that work there that I am lucky to interact with, it's just a perfect organisation.
"They have are just delivering and have delivered for a long time. Since 2014 we have been pretty much the benchmark or with maybe anotওher engine the benchmark, so that hasn't changed.
"I💙 really can't wait for 2026 to come and see the different levels of performance of the power units."
With a sharp eye for F1’s controversies and s♊torylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unbiased reporting.
