Criticism rained down after the first Grand Prix of 2026. The new F1 regulations appealed to few drivers in Australia. Max Verstappen spoke of ‘Mario Kart-like’ scenarios and reigning world champion Lando Norris talked about ‘the worst cars ever’. Team principal Toto Wolff, who recorded a one-two with Mercedes in Australia, rebukes all critics and emphasizes that the fan experience must be leading.
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Wolff was asked about the ongoing criticism from the drivers after the race weekend. “Drivers have never been positive about the previous generation of cars,” he told the media. “No one ever said those were the best cars,” Wolff responded specifically to Norris’s statements. “We are often very nostalgic and look at the past through rose-colored glasses. But in the end, we are all shareholders in this sport,” he rebuked the drivers.
“We must have a great spectacle,” he explained. “The best cars in the world for the best drivers. That’s why we just have to look at the whole product. Of course, the drivers’ perspective is important, but Stefano Domenicali (F1 CEO, ed.) will always say that the fans’ opinion is the guide. That’s what we have to look at. If something needs to be adjusted, I think we have the flexibility in Formula 1 to always make those decisions,” Wolff added. The FIA wants to wait for the upcoming race weekend in China before entering into discussions with the teams about any adjustments. Top official Nikolas Tombazis confirmed this this week.
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Mercedes extremely competitive
Naturally, Toto Wolff’s statements should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, it is clear that Mercedes currently has the most competitive package: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli claimed a convincing one-two in Melbourne. Moreover, many loyal F1 fans have long since sided with Verstappen and Norris; there is great dissatisfaction on social media regarding the new regulations.
“At the moment, our team can be very satisfied,” Wolff admitted. “We had an incredible winning streak with those eight championships,” he referred to the dominance between 2014 and 2020, “but after that, a number of very difficult years followed. Of course, we still won races, but a one-two like this means you can really fight for the world title. We haven’t been able to say that for a long time. After those difficult years, we have only become more grateful,” he concluded. “I’m just very happy for everyone.”
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