Wolff hits back at ‘nonsense’ fuel rumours

Feb.20 (GMM) Toto Wolff has angrily dismissed fresh speculation that Mercedes may be facing fuel irregularities – comparing the rumour mill to conspiracy theories.

After weeks of controversy surrounding Mercedes’ engine compression design, attention has now shifted to Petronas’ sustainable fuel homologation, with whispers in Bahrain suggesting the delay could be linked to regulatory concerns.

Wolff was clearly irritated.

“They told us our compression ratio was illegal, which is complete nonsense,” he said. “And now the next story is that our fuel is illegal. I don’t know where this is coming from, and they keep insisting.

“Maybe tomorrow they’ll invent something else, maybe it’ll turn up in the Epstein files … although I already regret that comment.”

The remark drew laughter in the press room, as Wolff referenced the recently released US court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.

“Complete nonsense,” he added. “It’s a complicated issue and a process, but I can’t even comment on it.”

On the compression issue itself, Wolff has previously described the saga as “noise”, though momentum shifted palpably after Red Bull joined a supermajority pushing for clarification of the testing methodology that now looks set to change from August.

Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies made clear the Milton Keynes team is seeking certainty rather than political advantage.

“We don’t think it’s noise,” Mekies said in Bahrain. “We believe we need clarity. As we’ve said before, we don’t care if it goes left or right. But we do need clarity about what we can and can’t do.”

Wolff insists the proposed solution – requiring compliance with compression rules in both cold and hot conditions – is fair.

“The way it’s currently being done doesn’t give anyone an advantage,” he said.

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