Toto Wolff defended the 2026 F1 regulations following an exciting Miami Grand Prix, which featured multiple lead changes and intense racing despite challenging weather. Critics of the new era of F1 cars were addressed as the race showcased the entertainment value of the updated regulations.
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Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff made sure to call out any critics of the new era of F1 cars after an action-packed Miami Grand Prix.
Sunday’s race, even with shifting weather conditions and multiple questions about whether it would be held at all, delivered cinematic racing on the track.
There were multiple lead changes and fights all around the track, which should be no surprise given the new car’s biggest weakness is straight-line speed, and the Miami GP layout tends to have less demanding straights.
As a result, there was a ton of entertainment, something that was not seen during the first handful of races, which were called out by fans over the total lack of power that the new engines could produce when pushed on a straight line.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff arrives at the track before practice for the US Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas Austin. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Mercedes has, far and away, gotten a clear grasp of the engine regulations and has been a dominant force from the outset.
Naturally, Wolff has the motivation to keep the regulations as close as possible to their current form. Still, he seems to truly believe that it is only a matter of time before these new cars deliver exciting racing.
Wolff, after his own driver, Kimi Antonelli, won the Miami Grand Prix, took a moment to highlight the race as an example of the engine’s potential.
“If there’s one single person that complains about the race today, I think they should hide, honestly,” Wolff told reporters.
“Now, obviously this track is a little bit easier, it’s not so energy stuffed. There’s good games and there’s bad games, so I think that was great, great advertising for Formula 1.”
According to the German executive, anyone who demands changes to cars should reassess their approach to problems and solutions.
“Whoever talks about changing engine regs in the short-term should question his way of assessing Formula 1 at that stage,” he said
Toto Wolff defended the 2026 regulations, emphasizing their entertainment value after the thrilling Miami Grand Prix.
The Miami Grand Prix featured multiple lead changes and exciting racing, showcasing the cars' performance despite their weaknesses in straight-line speed.
Critics pointed out the lack of power in the new engines during earlier races, particularly their performance on straight sections of the track.
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“So spectacular race. Fight for the lead, fight in the midfield. It’s splendid. Can we tweak it and optimize it in the midterm? I think absolutely.
“We would never be against making the show even better. I’m thinking about SM modes [straightline modes]. I think we need much more straight-line speed with the SM modes. We need to be courageous in doing that.
“In the midterm we are not opposed. Whether we could extract a bit more performance out of the ICE … Great. Give us enough lead time so we can actually do it.”
F1 is already adopting new rules to improve viewership and the racing experience, with multiple changes under consideration for the 2027 season.
Wolff, however, apparently thinks there needs to be more time before any changes are agreed to.
The majority of the F1 fanbase and stakeholders disagree, given the momentum towards a shake-up in how the cars are powered.