The Team Principal of the Silver Arrows in F1 emphasized how important it is to be able to build a car based on one’s own abilities while staying within spending limits, as happens in the circus, and admitted that the current regulations do not satisfy him in the way races are managed.
There has been talk for some time of a possible Mercedes entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship with a prototype, but it’s still unclear if or how this might happen, given that some sources offer positive statements on the matter, while others say the opposite.
As we had already explained some time ago, the Silver Arrows are deeply involved in Formula 1, and for now, their presence in closed-wheel racing is (well) tied to the AMG GT3 programs, for which a new version of the car is expected in 2027.
Adding to this is the fact that, should Mercedes be forced to reassign personnel due to the budget cap limits in F1, the endurance and prototype option might also be taken into consideration. But not now.
This year, the German manufacturer returned to the top endurance series and to Le Mans thanks to its partnership with Iron Lynx, fielding two cars in the LMGT3 class, and that alone was already a good step, as explained by Toto Wolff.
“I’m a racing man, and Le Mans is one of the most beautiful races in the world. Formula 1 is by far the best, but obviously I’m biased; it has the best drivers, the fastest cars, and the most beautiful circuits. But if I had to say what comes next, I’d say the 24h and the Indy 500,” stated the Team Principal and CEO of Mercedes during the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit podcast.
“And then, for insiders, the Nürburgring 24h. For me, it’s the best of the best. When I’m not involved in an F1 weekend, I watch Le Mans practically all night. I follow the live broadcast and know some of the drivers, so I have a personal interest.”
“As Mercedes, it’s something we’ve done in the past, even if we didn’t achieve particularly good results. There was the bad accident in the 1950s that led to our withdrawal, and then some of our prototypes in the 1990s and early 2000s were flying… in the literal sense!”
“Today, we’re focusing on our main platform, which is F1, and that’s what we want to do because it attracts 99% of the audience; everything else takes a back seat. We’ve entered the LMGT3 category and are evaluating our customer racing program.”
It’s no secret that, after the Lamborghini LMDh program was cut short with some unfortunate consequences, Iron Lynx retained the ambition of one day being a contender in the HYPERCAR Class with a prototype.
The new relationship with Mercedes – which currently doesn’t have one – would be a solid foundation to restart from, but things are still evolving, and even Wolff is skeptical about a project under the current regulations.
“I think there’s one small thing to consider: at Mercedes, we’re racers, and we don’t like things like the Balance of Performance, where someone evaluates your power, energy consumption, weight, and driver skill.”
“We spend so much time, money, and put in huge effort to develop the fastest car, and then you get 10kg of ballast. I don’t want that. I just want to build the fastest car, and F1 has shown how it should be done, by setting a cost cap. That’s the right way – set spending limits.”
“Let’s say 30-40 million? Within that, you can do whatever you want. I mean, in F1 there are regulations, but no one needs to hide during pre-season testing or Qualifying; it’s pure racing.”
“If that were to happen, then Le Mans would absolutely be worth considering. But at the moment, with BoP and people deciding if you’re too fast, adding 10kg to your car or taking it off someone else’s the next day – that’s not for us.”
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