Toto Wolff hits out at ‘utter bulls**t’ compression ratio theories

Toto Wolff has labelled as “utter bulls**t” that the ongoing compression ratio saga means the Mercedes power unit is illegal.

On Wednesday, the FIA confirmed an e-vote will be held amongst the seven parties of the power unit advisory committee [PUAC] to determine whether a new compression ratio test, which could have implications for Mercedes, will be introduced and take effect from August 1.

Toto Wolff ‘philosophically disagrees’ with e-vote direction

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The proposal that is being put to an e-vote takes aim at the power unit compression ratio measurement methodology, which it’s believed Mercedes is the sole power unit manufacturer [PUM] to have capitalised upon a grey area of the regulations to comply with the current measurement procedure, whilst also being able to run at a higher ratio while on track.

The matter has been picked apart by the PUAC through the winter, being the body of governance over matters pertaining to the power units – the five PUMs, the FIA, and FOM form this body.

With Mercedes isolated in its stance amongst the five PUMs, it remains to be seen whether the four non-Mercedes PUMs can convince the FIA and FOM to vote in the same direction, and introduce a regulation change to roll out a new testing procedure to take place at operational temperatures.

Having found itself facing a situation in which it appears tweaks to its power unit may become inevitable if the supermajority is formed, Mercedes’ team boss Toto Wolff said last week that the manufacturer will “take it on the chin” if a regulation change is made.

But the Austrian was in feisty mood when he appeared to speak with the media in the press conference on Thursday in Bahrain.

Asked by PlanetF1.com whether he believes the governance structure has been overly weaponised and whether F1 remains a meritocracy in his eyes, should the vote not go in a direction favourable for Mercedes’ purported position, Wolff was blunt.

“Formula 1 is a meritocracy, and we don’t want any balance of performance,” he said.

“I think that philosophically we need to stick to it. You’ve developed the component to the regulations, and that’s been confirmed.

“Then everybody else gangs up and says it’s illegal, the regulator is being put under pressure.

“Is that how it should go? Philosophically, I disagree, but that’s what has happened the last 50 years in Formula 1.

“This time, we were on the receiving end. I guess next time, maybe, we will be ganging up against somebody else because we believe it’s not right.”

Senior paddock sources have indicated to PlanetF1.com that the belief is that all five of the power unit manufacturers would currently pass the compression ratio tests, at both ambient and the proposed operational temperatures.

But, if a rule change is made, Wolff said the proposed changes must be done in such a way that the measurement protocols tighten the wording, without opening up the possibility of only having a singular test, ie. at hot temperatures, that means it’s then possible to pass one test but not the other.

If the proposed operational temperature test merely replaced the ambient temperature test, there is the possibility of ending up back in the same position, albeit working with different figures.

“I think the way it’s being done now, it needs to be compliant to the regulations when it’s cold and when it’s hot,” he said.

“It doesn’t give anybody an advantage, because I think the attempt was from the other guys to have it only measured so they could actually have it cold outside of the regulation.”

If the e-vote does result in the measurement protocols changing on August 1st, manufacturers will be required to be found in non-compliance with the FIA’s own checks at the next event before being given permission to make the required revisions to their PUs – permission cannot be given through their own pre-emptive measurements.

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Wolff’s comments were made in what has been a period of intense spotlight upon Mercedes, which has seen with other speculation suggesting that Petronas, Mercedes’ fuel supplier, is having trouble getting its sustainable fuel certified for use in 2026 by the FIA.

The process of getting the sustainable fuel across the line isn’t as straightforward as simply getting a blend approved, with the entire process from research and development through to manufacturing and logistics playing a factor in its sustainability score.

This means that it is possible for a supplier to receive its certification, but without necessarily running the final version of its fuel blend.

“This is another of these stories,” an unimpressed Wolff said on the topic.

“We were told that compression ratio is something that we were illegal, which is total bulls**t, utter bulls**t.

“Now the next story comes out that our fuel is illegal!

“I don’t know where that comes from, and it starts spinning again.”

With Wolff clearly annoyed by the stories that have emerged about his organisations over the winter, he mused aloud to the room.

“Maybe tomorrow we’re inventing something else that, I don’t know, that I’ve been on the Epstein files or God knows what!” he joked, to the visible dismay of a Mercedes press officer.

“You’re not happy with me saying that? I was too young! I mustn’t say that.

“Another nonsense. You know, this is a complicated topic and the process and all of this, but there’s just not… we can’t even comment.”

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