Wolff: Mercedes ‘fully on top’ of recent engine reliability woes

Toto Wolff has reassured Mercedes’ engine customer’s that’s its HPP division at Brixworth is diligently addressing a recent spate of reliability issues involving its Formula 1 power units.

While the Brackley squad celebrated a return to the top step of the podium at the Canadian Grand Prix, concerns over the consistency of Mercedes’ engines have surfaced after a series of failures across customer teams.

George Russell’s emphatic pole-to-win drive in Montreal marked the team’s first Grand Prix victory of the 2025 season. Adding to the celebrations was Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s maiden F1 podium in third place – a major milestone for the 18-year-old rookie.

But recent technical failures have raised eyebrows, with Mercedes-powered cars retiring prematurely in multiple races.

Power Unit Failures Raise Questions

Antonelli was forced to retire from his home race in Imola, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso suffered a similar failure in Monaco. Most recently, Alex Albon’s Williams came to a halt in Canada, cutting short what had looked like a promising race.

These issues come at a critical juncture for Mercedes HPP, which is already deep into preparations for the all-new 2026 power unit regulations.

While the German manufacturer has historically delivered one of the most reliable powertrains since the introduction of the V6 hybrid era in 2014, the string of recent failures risks undermining that reputation.

Despite these setbacks, Wolff expressed full confidence in the team led by HPP Managing Director Hywel Thomas, assuring that the department is fully engaged in resolving the reliability concerns.

“I mean, our engines have been as good as gold since the introduction of the hybrid era and so strong,” Wolff said in Montreal.

“Now it’s the final year, all sights on next year, and Hywel and his group are fully on top of the reliability issues that we have.”

Eyes on 2026, But Focus Remains on Fixing 2025

With sweeping regulatory changes on the horizon for 2026, including revised power unit specifications and increased electrification, Mercedes’ development focus has naturally shifted forward. However, Wolff was keen to point out that this future-focused strategy would not come at the expense of addressing current issues.

“And statistically, if you look at the many years, the failures we had were very minimal,” he noted. “So we need to learn now what happened.

“I don’t know what happened to Alex, actually. And I’m sure we will understand and learn.”

Wolff’s remarks are a clear signal that while Mercedes is confident in its long-term engineering capabilities, the team is not brushing off recent setbacks.

The failures have implications beyond the factory team, too. Although Aston Martin will switch to Honda engines from 2026, Mercedes recently secured a new customer in Alpine, who will end their status as a works engine manufacturer next year.

Read also:

• Wolff cautious despite Canada win: 'Performance swings still there'

Reliability concerns will be front of mind for all customer teams as Mercedes prepares to power four outfits in 2026 under the new ruleset.

With winter development fast approaching, Thomas and the team at Brixworth face the dual challenge of ensuring current engine stability while finalising a next-generation hybrid powertrain.

For now, Wolff’s reassurance reflects a belief in Mercedes’ tried-and-tested engineering prowess — and a determination not to let short-term reliability hiccups cloud the big picture.

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