Wolff: Horner “frightened” by new engine project - “what’s the real motivation…”

The Red Bull team principal called for a revision of the new rules to prevent “a technical Frankenstein” within the new breed of cars.

His Mercedes counterpart has now responded by suggesting that Horner has concerns over the progress of Red Bull Powertrains, which will enable Red Bull to develop their own engines without an external supplier for the first time.

“I think what frightens him more is that maybe his engine programme is not coming along and maybe he wants to kill it that way,” Wolff was quoted by Speedcafe.

“You always have to question what is the real motivation to say something like that.”

The 2026 power unit regulations have resulted in Audi entering F1, Honda returning alongside Aston Martin, and Ford joining up with Red Bull.

Wolff insists those significant entrants mean it isn’t possible to renege on the 2026 rules: “That’s not going to happen. Zero chance! Capital letters! I don’t know why these things are coming up.

“We’ve developed the regulations over many years with all the auto manufacturers being involved. 

“A compromise that attracted Audi to finally join the sport, for Honda to stay in there. It’s the best possible case that one could imagine for Formula 1.

“Is it challenging? Our chassis designers are saying ‘how are we going to do this?’ “But, zero [chance]. These regulations are not going to change anymore. They’re not going to be postponed anymore because the world needs to show innovation around sustainability, we need to reduce emissions and we are super excited.”

Horner claimed that F1 drivers would have to downshift on straights under the 2026 rules.

But Wolff laughed it off: “Do you think that, in all reality, we are not innovative in this sport to come up with chassis, engine regulations, that can avoid drivers shifting down on the straight? It just isn’t real.

“When you take today’s chassis and put the future power unit in there, there are a few tracks with very long straights where we would have massive de-rates in the power unit. That’s today’s situation.

“But we are not bolting on today’s chassis, which are heavy like a prototype and big like an elephant. That’s what we need to reinvent for 2026.

“Whether it is some retractable aerodynamic elements, or whether the shapes of the cars are going to change in order to meet the more sustainable world, more aerodynamic efficiency, I think that’s great. Spectacular as a regulation.

“There will be things that we will be translating into other industries, the auto industry, the viable solutions that we need to come up with in order to avoid downshifting.

“I don’t want to give anybody ideas that we really need to downshift. That’s not going to happen.”