Red Bull ‘Set the Benchmark’ as F1 Testing Begins – Wolff

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted Red Bull are “the benchmark” in Formula 1 following the opening day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, where teams debuted radical new hybrid power-units under the sport’s historic rules overhaul.

Despite Lando Norris topping the timesheets for McLaren with a 1:34.669 lap, Wolff pointed to data showing Red Bull’s hybrid engine offering significantly stronger energy deployment than any other team.

“They are able to deploy far more energy on the straights than everybody else,” said Wolff. “That’s worth a second, over consecutive laps.”

Wolff emphasized that Red Bull’s energy deployment system held firm over 10 laps, marking them as clear early favourites under the new 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid regulations — where power is now split nearly 50-50 between internal combustion and electrical systems.

Rule Overhaul & Engine Tech Divide

F1’s new engine formula revolves around energy recovery and deployment, which is now more crucial than ever with power units suffering rapid battery drain and requiring constant recharge through:

• Braking

• Engine over-revving

• Early lift-off

• Full-throttle harvesting

Wolff said Mercedes is impressed by Red Bull’s consistency and gains in deployment — and that headline lap times in testing can be deceptive, with Norris running on C2 tyres and Verstappen on C3.

Day One Testing Results – Bahrain

Other notable results: Hamilton (Ferrari) +1.764s, Stroll (Aston Martin) +5.214s.

Mercedes Engine Row – Legal or Loophole?

Meanwhile, Mercedes face accusations from rival teams over exploiting a compression ratio loophole. F1 engines are limited to a 16:1 compression ratio, measured cold — but teams allege Mercedes uses thermal expansion and materials tech to push beyond that limit mid-run.

Wolff didn’t deny the practice but insisted their engine remains fully legal.

“It’s worth a few horsepower – in England, you’d say a couple, which is like two or three,” Wolff quipped.

He called out rival manufacturers for “secret letters” and “secret meetings” with the FIA, claiming it was political panic over Mercedes’ resurgence.

Williams boss James Vowles, a Mercedes engine customer, backed Wolff:

“This is a meritocracy. The best engineering solution should be rewarded, not punished.”

Looking Ahead

With Red Bull showing dominant hybrid efficiency and Mercedes defending their innovations, F1’s new era of regulations is already shaping up to be a battleground of power-unit ingenuity.

As testing continues in Bahrain, the focus will remain not only on lap times but on engine performance, energy deployment, and the legality of technical innovations.