With the 2026 power unit regulations right around the corner, all the eyes in the paddock are towards Mercedes. Their eight-year period of dominance started with the turbo-hybrid era in 2014 where they aced the new engine regulations. With a new formula now set to be imposed, many expect the Brackley-based squad to repeat that feat.
But the struggles of the ground-effect era that the Silver Arrows have faced since 2022, have made team boss, Toto Wolff wiser. The Austrian has explained how just a good engine will not bring the team back to the very front of the F1 grid in 2026.
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Wolff said, “That [2026 regulations reset] is a super interesting challenge. You have to do your job as well as possible on all levels. A good engine alone won’t do us any good.”
Engine… pic.twitter.com/jaxolozPYZ
— The Race (@wearetherace) June 6, 2024
One of the biggest issues that plagued Mercedes in the last three seasons was the fact that their aerodynamic proficiency on the chassis side of things wasn’t as good as their rivals. This meant that the team struggled for pace, consistency, and results despite having a good power unit behind them.
On the other hand, McLaren, who also used Mercedes power units last season, went on to win their first Constructors’ title since 1998 on the back of some amazing work by their design department over the last two seasons.
This is evidence enough for Wolff to suggest that merely acing the power unit regulations won’t win them any silverware. With new aerodynamic concepts to the 2026 chassis as well, Mercedes have to focus on not dropping the ball this time around like they did with the ground-effect concepts.
Wolff deems 2025 as a year of transition for Mercedes
One of the biggest dilemmas that all the 10 teams will be facing this season is when to shift their focus to 2026. For Wolff, however, it seems that he has already decided to write off 2025 to focus on the upcoming regulation reset.
The Austrian has termed the 2025 season as a transitionary effort for the Silver Arrows. This would mean that the team might start to focus more on the 2026 regulations from earlier on in the 2025 season.
What does this mean for Andrea Kimi Antonelli? With so much pressure on the 18-year-old Italian surrounding his debut, this means that he may not be expected to perform from the get-go. Wolff could give him some leeway to make mistakes, which is highly likely to happen.
Wolff has himself conceded that he doesn’t expect Antonelli to vie for pole positions and race wins from the very first race in Melbourne.
