Wolff doubles down on 400 km/h claim as 2026 F1 overhaul looms
Toto Wolff has once again addressed the 2026 engines and his claim about the possibility of seeing cars reach 400 km/h next season.
“I felt like we need to give that engine a little bit of a marketing boost, because people were talking it down”- Toto Wolff
Focusing on the next generation of cars earlier this season, the Mercedes team principal stated, “If you were to deploy all the energy on a single straight, you could make those cars go 400 kilometers an hour. I don't know if somebody got afraid by it, but we could.”
A statement that naturally stirred debate within the paddock and prompted FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis to reassure that we won’t actually see cars reaching those speeds next year.
Appearing on the Beyond the Grid podcast alongside Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains Managing Director Hywel Thomas, Wolff explained the reasoning behind his remarks at the time: “I felt like we need to give that engine a little bit of a marketing boost, because people were talking it down, and it's such an amazing piece of kit.
“So, if the FIA was suddenly a little bit worried about, homologation of safety zones of the track, because if you put it all together, we could do 400 or maybe even exceed it, but obviously, you're going to run out of energy for the next straight and then not be quick enough.”
When asked whether the 2026 engines will really produce more horsepower than the current power units, Thomas replied: “The intention was for it always to be the sort of maximum power to be very approximately the same. I've not done a comparison, but it's very comparable at the start of a straight.”
Wolff points to key Verstappen edge ahead of F1’s 2026 overhaul
Amid the uncertainty over the 2026 regulations, Wolff believes the four-time world champion is already a step ahead.
The Austrian pointed out that drivers accustomed to extensive simulator work will hold a clear advantage with the new generation of F1 cars.
In this regard, Verstappen perfectly embodies the modern driver. He brings years of experience in virtual racing with Team Redline across multiple series and even competed in two Nurburgring events earlier this year in GT4 and GT3 machinery, showcasing the versatility and adaptability that the 2026 cars will demand.
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