Red Bull, Mercedes exchange heated words over Formula 1's 2026 engine regulations

Northamptonshire [UK], July 5 : Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner have accused each other of acting in self-interest in a developing row over Formula 1's 2026 engine regulations.

This comes after Max Verstappen dominated another Grand Prix in Austria over the weekend, the beginning of a potentially highly significant debate was playing out in the background.

According to the official website of Sky Sports, "Despite not coming face to face, Wolff and Horner used their media briefings to trade barbs and opposing viewpoints on whether changes should be made to the new regulations coming to the sport in 2026."

As per the official website of Sky Sports, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said, "I think that perhaps where we need to pay urgent attention before it's too late, is to look at the ratio between combustion power and electrical power."

He added, "We need to ensure that we're not creating a technical Frankenstein, which will require the chassis to compensate to such a degree with moveable aero and reduce the drag to such a level that the racing will be affected - and that there will be no tow effect and no DRS because effectively you're running like that at all points in time."

Horner stated, "Plus, with the characteristics of these engines, the combustion engine just doesn't become a generator to recharge a battery. We still have two and a half years, and I think a slight redress would create a better platform for the chassis. Otherwise, the chassis regulations that are undefined yet and uncommitted, we're going to be trying to cater for those compromises."

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff said, "That's not going to happen, zero chance. So I don't know why these things are even coming up. We've developed those regulations over many years with all the auto manufacturers being involved. It was a compromise that attracted Audi to finally join the sport, for Honda to stay in there - the best possible case that one could imagine for F1."

He further stated, "Is it challenging? Our chassis designers are saying 'Well, how are we going to do this?' Yeah, super (challenging). But zero, these regulations are not going to change any more, they're not going to be postponed any more, because the world needs to show innovation around sustainability, we need to reduce emissions, and we are super excited."

Toto Wolff said, "I think what frightens him (Christian Horner) more maybe is that his engine programme is not coming along and that maybe he wants to kill it that way, so you always have to question what's the real motivation to say something like that."

Christain Horner in a press conference replied back to Toto Wolff's statement, he said, "Unfortunately that's typically Toto where he's just focused on self-performance, My interest is actually about the sport rather than self-gain."

He added, "It's still way too early to say who's going to have a competitive or uncompetitive engine in 2026... for me the most important thing is from a sports point of view, that we all have a collective responsibility to work with the FIA and the commercial rights holder to ensure that the product is as good as it can be, otherwise we've all failed."

While concluding he said, "I think the FIA is being very responsible in terms of doing its due diligence, and I think certain teams share very similar opinions to that of our own. I think they have a capable team, I think they're aware of what the challenges are."

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