Toto Wolff calls on critics of the new Formula 1 regulations to stop publicly criticizing motorsport. According to the Mercedes team boss, continuously ‘blackening’ Formula 1 endangers the future of the premier class. ‘We must be aware of our responsibility as guardians of this sport,’ Wolff warns.
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The 2026 regulations for both the chassis and the engine – whereby the power units now consist of fifty percent electrical energy and fifty percent from an internal combustion engine – have also led to large-scale changes on the track. During qualifying, drivers now have to lift off the throttle to recharge the battery. This new style of racing within Formula 1 has already drawn criticism from Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, among others. The FIA promised to consider possible regulation changes during the spring break in April.
Toto Wolff, however, believes that such criticism should not be expressed publicly. “We must be aware of our responsibility as guardians of this sport,” the Austrian team boss said during a recent media session. “We all have our opinions, and that is perfectly legitimate. But these opinions and discussions should take place among those involved rather than in public.”
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‘Do not publicly blacken the sport’
The Mercedes team boss immediately elaborates on his opinion. “We have thousands of fans who love the sport – there are also a few who don’t love it at the moment – but to protect the future, we must not publicly blacken the sport. In the past, we have all been guilty of this, for tactical reasons or to protect a situation. We must be very careful.”
According to Wolff, this caution is important because any consequences of blackening Formula 1 are not immediately noticeable. “The impact comes with a delay,” said the team boss. “That is the responsibility we have. We owe it to ourselves to express our opinions within the group of stakeholders – this has happened constructively in recent weeks,” Wolff concludes.
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