Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Red Bull has become the early benchmark following the introduction of Formula 1’s new hybrid power unit rules for 2026. Mercedes had been widely seen as a pre-season favourite after early running in Barcelona, but Wolff says data from the first official Bahrain test now points more clearly towards the Milton Keynes team.

Red Bull’s first in-house power unit, developed after the end of its Honda partnership in 2025, represents a major technical project. The programme included recruiting several experienced engineers from rival manufacturers, including Mercedes. Early indications suggest the effort has paid off.

“Well, I was hoping that they were worse than they are, because they’ve done a very good job,” Wolff admitted, as quoted by ESPN website. “The car, the power unit are the benchmark at the moment, I would say. And then obviously you have Max in the car. That combination is strong.”

The 2026 regulations place significantly greater emphasis on electrical energy within the hybrid system. Batteries can harvest and deploy far more energy than before, making energy management and deployment a decisive factor in performance, particularly on straights and over longer runs.

According to Wolff, initial Bahrain data highlighted Red Bull’s strength in this area. “Look at the energy deployment today. They are able to deploy far more energy on the straights than everybody else“- n a single lap we’ve seen it before, but now we’ve seen it on 10 consecutive laps with the same kind of straight-line deployment,” he said.

When asked directly whether Mercedes could match that level at present, Wolff replied simply: “Today, no.”

At the same time, Mercedes remains at the centre of an ongoing discussion about interpretation of the new engine rules. The debate focuses on the V6 engine compression ratio, reduced from 18:1 to 16:1 to help new manufacturers enter the sport. Rival engine suppliers suspect Mercedes may have found a way to meet legality checks at ambient temperatures while achieving higher performance once the engine reaches operating conditions.

Wolff suggested political pressure from competitors has intensified. “I think that the lobbying from the other engine manufacturers has massively ramped up over the last few months,” he said, adding that multiple meetings between manufacturers and the FIA have yet to produce a final resolution.

The FIA has indicated it wants clarity before the opening race of the season to avoid protests or legal disputes. Possible solutions include redefining how compression ratios are measured, although any change would require agreement from both the FIA and Formula 1 management.

Despite the controversy, Wolff stressed that shifting performance and political dynamics are nothing unusual in Formula 1. “You’re being misled and you’re misleading all the time. There is no such thing as surprises anymore. The wind can change suddenly.”