Wolff Jokes McLaren Engine Deal May Not Have Been "Most Intelligent" Choice
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Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff commented on supplying McLaren with power units and aiding their rival in winning titles.
As a customer team, McLaren secured a deal to obtain Mercedes engines in 2021. The agreement helped McLaren with its resurgence from a mid-table team to a title contender over the past couple of seasons.
Mercedes, on the other hand, has struggled since the 2022 regulations, going from the dominant team to a podium-fighting outfit.
Wolff was the point person in making the deal with McLaren. During an interview with Sky Sports Italy, he jokingly expressed regret over giving the current title favorite their engines.
Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff and McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown talk in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 08, 2024 in Abu...
Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff and McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown talk in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 08, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. More
Photo by"Look at where they were three, four years ago, when we signed the deal with them that they were going to use our fast engines for the next few years. Then they were 18th and it was easy to make such a decision," Wolff said.
"With the knowledge of today, I don't know if it was the most intelligent choice in my life to make that deal with them [laughs].
"They have it really well together in terms of engineering and that's why they perform so insanely well, especially in hot conditions."
McLaren's deal with Mercedes runs for several more years, following an extension agreement reached between the two parties a couple of years ago.
Announced back in 2023, the McLaren-Mercedes deal runs until 2030, marking another half decade of the partnership.
At the time of the announcement, McLaren CEO Zac Brown released a statement on the new deal, which highlighted his excitement over the agreement.
"Mercedes-Benz have been a brilliant and reliable partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team," Brown said.
"The extension signifies the confidence that our shareholders and the wider team have in their powertrains and the direction we're taking with them into the new era of regulations ahead.
"We have been successful together, both in the last three seasons and when they previously powered the team, so we look forward to the success to come as we continue our journey to fight consistently at the front of the grid."
In 2026, a new engine formula is debuting, which runs on half kinetic energy and half conventional energy.
According to recent rumors and reports, the Mercedes powertrain is progressing well and is expected to be the class of the field next year.
Mercedes supplies power units for several other teams on the grid, including Williams and Aston Martin.
Starting in 2026, Honda will power Aston Martin, while Alpine is set to discontinue its engine operations and adopt Mercedes engines.
More F1 news: How Lewis Hamilton Made the F1 Movie Production More Expensive
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