Mercedes send ominous warning over 2026 F1 rules - which could tempt Max Verstappen
Mercedes are talking up their chances in 2026 - which could tempt Max Ver𒈔stappen into making a🍌 move.
Mercedes appear to be optimistic about their chances of returning to the pinnacle of F1 when the new engꦓine rules are introduced in 2026.
The 2026 F1 cars will have a new engine with an al💮most 50-50 split between internal combustion engine and electrical p🦂ower.
The MGU-H has also been removed -🏅 marked as the most significant change for the new rules -𒐪 while the MGU-K has been upgraded.
The new rules have been m💖ade to appease engine manufacturers, with Honda and Audi joining t🔯he sport alongside the existing quartet of Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull RBPT.
Mercedes famously stole a march o𒁃n the new engine rules in 2014, ultimately leading to their plethora of dominan🐟ce, mainly down to how superior their power unit was.
Williams𓆉, who ran their power unit in 2014, went from back💞 of the midfield to regular podium finisher within a season.
Speaking to Sky Sports during the Imola weekend, technical director James A🌃llison shed light on the optimism inside Merc♕edes at the moment.
"I wasn't in the team in the run-up to 2014 when the new generation of po🐼wer 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 that the feeling is very similar.
"There is a massive shove going on in HPP [Mercedesꦏ High Performance Powertrain🦋s] to make a success of that because it will set the course of anyone who'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 regulations, admitting he “can🦩🧔’t wait” for them.
"We have a🔜n engine department that is good as it can be with a top leadership," Wolff added.
"There is not a millimetre in HPP that I wish woul⛄d 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 organisaღtion.
"They hav▨e are just delivering and have delivered for a long time. Since 2014 we have been pretty much the benchmark or with maybe another engine the benchmark, so that hasn't changeဣd.
"I really can't wait for 2026 to come and see t༺he diffeꦑrent levels of performance of the power units."
With a sharp eye for F1’s controversies and storylines, Connor is 👍the heartbeat of our unbiღased reporting.
