F1
Mercedes and Alpine: Toto Wolff Addresses F1 Engine Rumours Amid 2026 Regulation Shake-Up
Toto Wolff addresses speculations about Mercedes providing engines to Alpine for Formula 1
"Currently, Alpine is considering various options."
Toto Wolff has commented on the rumors about Mercedes possibly providing Alpine with engines for Formula 1 starting in 2026, stating that the French team is "considering various options."
As reported by The Race, Alpine is contemplating abandoning their engine project for 2026 and may instead opt to become a customer team.
The speculation is intriguing because it implies that Alpine would give up its position as a manufacturer team.
Since the current regulations were implemented in 2014, Renault has faced difficulties in producing a strong engine.
As new engine regulations will come into effect in 2026, they need to make a decision.
Former McLaren chief Ron Dennis once stated that a customer team could never secure a world championship title, which led to their decision to switch from Mercedes to Honda in 2015.
Despite McLaren rejoining forces with Mercedes under the leadership of Zak Brown, the team from Woking has continued to perform strongly, regularly ranking as the second-best team in Formula 1.
During a one-on-one interview with Sky F1, Wolff addressed the speculation surrounding Alpine, stating, "Currently, Alpine is considering various options. It's evident that their leadership is dissatisfied with their results."
“You know how things go in Formula 1—it fluctuates. Just three races back, Alpine had every reason to look into new possibilities.”
"However, considering how Barcelona and Austria appear to be performing significantly better, it suggests that the issue might not solely lie with the engine."
Mercedes has expressed confidence in their prospects for strong performance in 2026, aiming to replicate the success they had ten years prior.
Their self-assurance might play a crucial role in possibly recruiting Max Verstappen to their team down the line, especially considering the significance of having a powerful engine under the new regulations.
Nonetheless, upon evaluating the regulations in their entirety, Wolff admits they "don’t appear especially favorable."
"The current set of regulations isn't ideal," he mentioned. "However, it's still a developing situation. I'm optimistic that the officials at the FIA will consider the teams' input, and together we'll create rules that enhance the excitement of the sport. That's crucial. Both the teams and the fans are key stakeholders."
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