Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is unmoved by accusations from rival teams that the Silberpfeile are using ‘engine tricks’ to generate extra power. Ahead of the new F1 season Mercedes has been suspected of using expanding components in the power unit to increase the compression ratio as the car comes up to temperature. Wolff is calling on his rivals to focus on themselves.
At Mercedes’ season launch on Monday, Toto Wolff faced the media. Naturally he was asked about the team’s alleged engine tricks; via a possible loophole in the rules the German outfit could raise the compression ratio in the new engine once the car is up to temperature. Wolff brushed the accusations aside. According to him, the FIA had been ‘very positive’ throughout the homologation process.
‘Get your sh*t together’
“As you know, I’m always sceptical about performance,” Wolff said. “So much gets made up. I’ve had the wrong expectations too often and I don’t want to be caught out in Bahrain or Melbourne. Regarding the engine, I don’t understand why some teams spend so much energy on others and keep hammering away at an issue that’s long since been clear. Communication with the FIA was very positive from the start. So, get your sh*t together,” he directed at his rivals.
“We’re trying to minimise all those distractions and just focus on ourselves. Ultimately every team is different. Maybe there are rivals already looking for excuses, even before we’ve even started racing,” he sneered. “We would never take that approach,” Wolff added. “Certainly not when it has repeatedly been shown that our engine is legal. But if people want to let themselves be distracted in that way, they’re free to do so.” Asked about possible protests from other teams, Wolff reiterated that the power unit ‘complies with the regulations as written’ and ‘clears all the prescribed checks.’ He dismissed any potential loophole in the rules.
