Max Verstappen says Toto Wolff talking up Red Bull pace to divert attention from engine row

Mercedes's 2026 F1 power unit has been in the spotlight recently due to the trick they found, enabling them to increase the engine compression ratio from 16:1 at ambient temperature to 18:1 in running conditions.

As rivals are pushing the FIA to change the compression testing procedure, Wolff has played down the advantage the Mercedes power unit has, claiming it is in the region of 2 to 3 hp.

But Verstappen is having none of it: “You definitely have to add a zero to that! And maybe even more. But, you know, I fully understand what they are trying to do these days.

“Well, I can tell you one thing: just wait until Melbourne and see how much power they suddenly find. I already know that right now,” the Dutchman added.

Wolff has been recently praising Red Bull's car and power unit, but Verstappen is not falling for it.

The Dutchman said: “They are obviously trying to shift the focus to us because we did so many laps on Wednesday. But you have to look at it from both sides. Just wait until Melbourne and see how fast they suddenly go on all the straights.”

The four-time F1 Champion is also refusing to be dragged into the predicting the 2026 pecking order.

He said: “Let's look back at the last 10 years of winter testing. I don't think you can say who was the world champion on day one, especially with a new ruleset like this.

“For me personally, it's more like diversion tactics. But that's okay. I mean, I focus on what we're doing here with the team. Because honestly, for us, there's still so much to learn.

"This new ruleset is so complex that we just want to do our laps. And yeah, just go from there," Verstappen concluded. (Source: Motorsport.com)