Toto Wolff reveals dream F1 2026 title opponent as Mercedes ‘gossip’ addressed

The upcoming F1 2026 regulations promise an overhaul not only of the sport’s aerodynamics and power units, but of the status quo.

And since that’s the case, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff hopes that his team will once again return to the top of the charts — and that his primary rival will be none other than Scuderia Ferrari.

Toto Wolff hopes for a Mercedes v Ferrari battle in F1 2026

We’re months away from the official introduction of the upcoming F1 2026 ruleset, which promises to massively overhaul the pinnacle of open-wheel racing.

With lighter and more agile cars paired with active aerodynamics, the hope is that the sport will see an increase in overtaking opportunities, even with the removal of the Drag Reduction System (DRS).

Add in the introduction of 100 per cent sustainable fuels and a new hybrid power unit designed to equally balance the internal combustion engine and its accompanying electric motor, and it’s easy to expect a major change in the running order.

While Red Bull and McLaren emerged as the dominant forces of the 2022 regulations, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is hoping that 2026’s battle will be between his team and that of Scuderia Ferrari.

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At this point in the F1 2025 season, most teams have likely already begun focusing their developmental efforts on these new regulations — and many have pinpointed Mercedes as a likely favorite when this new era starts.

But Toto Wolff won’t go so far as to claim that’s the case.

“It’s just gossip; we don’t know anything,” Wolff told Gazzetta dello Sport in a recent interview.

“I expect Ferrari to be very competitive and Honda has shown how strong it is, I expect a lot from them with Aston Martin.

“Then there’s Red Bull with the new engines, there’s Audi… Everyone wants to be ready and competitive, and we’ll see who has worked best.”

But in an ideal world, Wolff would be going head-to-head with Fred Vasseur and Scuderia Ferrari.

“The answer is simple: Ferrari,” the Mercedes boss replied when asked who he’d like to face for the championship in 2026.

“Seeing Ferrari against Mercedes would be wonderful. A classic.

“And then Lewis [Hamilton] and Charles [Leclerc] against Kimi [Antonelli] and George [Russell], an incredible challenge. An Italian driver against an Italian car: can you imagine it? I have no doubt that this duel will happen, next year or in the future.

“We will experience it, and it will be fantastic.”

However, as Wolff notes, there are plenty of possibilities for this new era of F1. Cadillac F1 will be entering, expanding the grid to 11 teams for the first time in years, while there will be a serious diversity of power unit suppliers: Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi, Honda, and Ford.

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