Mercedes confident in new F1 power units: “Like in 2014”. With the end of the turbo-hybrid era, Mercedes experienced a significant drop in performance.

With the end of the turbo-hybrid era, Mercedes experienced a significant drop in performance. A risky project started the Brackley team off on the wrong foot, and since then, they seem to have struggled to find a solution. Their cars performed well only within a narrow window of specific track or weather conditions, but for the rest of the time, they were unpredictable. However, starting in 2026, Toto Wolff might have more reasons to smile. The new regulations place much greater emphasis on power units (50% electric) rather than aerodynamics, and the power unit department has always been a strength for the team.

Some sources within Mercedes have even revealed to Ted Kravitz, a journalist at Sky Sports UK, that confidence levels for the upcoming cycle are comparable to those of 2014: “I’d be surprised to see Mercedes fighting for the Title in 2025, despite the pressure and funding from Stuttgart’s top management and the fact that last year one of their engines won the Constructors’ Championship. They’ve lost some brilliant minds, but according to Toto Wolff and James Allison, the outlook for the future is positive, similar to the turbo-hybrid cycle.” This sentiment has likely circulated around the paddock and is well known among insiders, to the point that a potential move by Max Verstappen to a Mercedes-powered team no longer seems like a fantasy.