Toto Wolff Explodes Over ‘Total Bulls*’ Fuel Claims as Mercedes 2026 F1 Legality Storm Intensifies**
Toto Wolff has angrily dismissed fresh allegations questioning the legality of Mercedes’ 2026 Formula 1 fuel, branding the controversy “total bulls***” as tensions rise ahead of the sport’s new regulatory era.
The Mercedes team principal hit back during a team principals’ press conference in Bahrain, where he was confronted with claims that Mercedes’ fuel partner Petronas has yet to receive full FIA homologation approval for its advanced sustainable fuel ahead of the sweeping 2026 regulation changes.
Reports circulating in the paddock have suggested that rival fuel suppliers — including Shell, BP and ExxonMobil — have already secured the necessary certification from the FIA, leaving Mercedes and its customer teams under scrutiny.
The speculation has cast uncertainty not only over the Silver Arrows but also over their partner outfits — McLaren, Alpine and Williams — all of whom rely on Mercedes power units and fuel supply arrangements as Formula 1 prepares for a radical overhaul of chassis and engine regulations in 2026.
From 2026 onwards, all teams must run on fully sustainable, 100 per cent carbon-neutral fuel as part of the championship’s push toward its Net Zero 2030 target. The FIA’s homologation process ensures that every supplier’s product complies with strict environmental, safety and technical standards before it can be used in competition.
But Wolff made it clear he believes the growing narrative surrounding Mercedes is nothing more than rumour-fuelled exaggeration.
“We were told compression ratio is something that we were illegal, which is total bulls***, utter bulls***,” Wolff fired back, referring to earlier murmurs that Mercedes could be forced to alter a controversial engine compression approach midway through the season.
“Now the next story comes up that our fuel is illegal. I don’t know where that comes from, and it starts spinning again,” he continued, venting frustration at what he sees as an increasingly hyperactive rumour mill within the paddock.
However, the 54-year-old Austrian’s response took an awkward turn when he made an ill-judged comparison between the ongoing speculation around Mercedes and the release of the “Epstein Files” relating to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Attempting to illustrate how stories keep resurfacing, Wolff referenced the case — a comment that visibly unsettled the room. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur quickly interjected in what appeared to be a cautionary remark, though his exact words were not captured on the microphone.
Wolff immediately appeared to recognize the misstep. “I must not say that, yeah,” he conceded, before steering the discussion back toward the fuel debate.
Describing the controversy as “another nonsense,” Wolff stressed that the homologation procedure is complex and ongoing but insisted there was no basis for the claims circulating in the media.
“It’s a complicated topic, and the process and all of this, but there’s just not… I can’t even comment,” he added, declining to elaborate further.
Homologation, the formal approval system administered by the FIA, serves as a certification mechanism confirming that new technical components — including fuels — meet the governing body’s standards. Without this approval, a product cannot legally be used in Formula 1 competition.
Despite the noise, Mercedes maintain confidence that their 2026 package — including their sustainable fuel solution — will meet all required criteria before the season begins.
Following the conclusion of pre-season testing on February 20, teams will regroup ahead of the 2026 campaign opener at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The season gets underway on March 8, marking the start of a bold new chapter for Formula 1 under its transformative regulations.
For Wolff and Mercedes, the message is clear: the accusations are unfounded — and the Silver Arrows intend to let their performance on track do the talking.
