P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Toto Wolff has pointed out that McLaren leaves Mercedes nowhere to “hide” during the 2026 Formula 1 season.
McLaren achieved its first Constructors’ title in 26 years last season, boosting its position in F1. Mercedes, McLaren’s engine supplier, faced a point deficit compared to their customer team in 2024. Mercedes is preparing for the 2026 rules reset in F1, particularly focusing on changes to the power unit regulations. The team is confident about their upcoming power unit’s potential, although supplying to McLaren has made the team cautious. Despite the challenges ahead, Mercedes acknowledges McLaren’s strength and plans to compete fiercely on both engine and chassis performance. The evolving dynamic in F1 highlights the progress made by McLaren over the years and Mercedes sees it as a positive challenge to strive for excellence. The anticipation surrounding Mercedes’ 2026 power unit is optimistic, drawing a parallel to their successful introduction of hybrid engines in 2014. Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal, remains cautiously optimistic about their progress, emphasizing the need to meet expectations and push towards achieving set targets for the upcoming rule changes.
