Toto Wolff said that under the new regulations, cars can 'scratch 400 kph,' Photo: Race Pictures

FIA rules out Toto Wolff's 'light-hearted comment' on 2026 engines

19:13, 14 Sep

Updated: 19:36, 14 Sep

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byKada Sarkozi

FIA's Nikolas Tombazis says Toto Wolff's '400 kph' verdict about the 2026 power unit will not happen.

I can assure you there won’t be speeds of 400km/h.

- Nikolas Tombazis

Nikolas Tombazis with George Russell in the paddock, Photo: Race Pictures

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis explained Toto Wolff's claim of cars 'scratching 400 kph' next season will not be possible.

"I can assure you there won’t be speeds of 400km/h.

"From what I heard, he meant to say that, with the power the cars have and with the low resistance the cars have, you could conceivably – if you combine everything together – have cars going over that speed," he told PlanetF1.

"The way all the energy management regulations work, that is not possible, physically or engineering-wise.

"We have quite a lot of control, as FIA, on those regulations, and on top of that, we have a strong card to play if necessary, and that is for safety reasons.

“We could intervene if there was anything, but we are quite confident and quite sure that the regulations don’t permit those sorts of speeds.

“It is the performance envelope of the car; if there were no regulations on any management, that would allow such speeds,” the Greek director explained.

Wolff doubled down, Verstappen jokes

"If you were to deploy all the energy on a single straight, you could make those cars go 400 kilometers an hour. I don't know if somebody got afraid by it, but we could," the Austrian reflected on his earlier verdict to GPblog in Zandvoort.

"But there wouldn't be much electric energy left for the other few corners on a track," he added.

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Ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen also joked about the Mercedes team principal's words. "Maybe Toto's engine will," he commented to this website as well.

He then added: "I don't want to say there will be a limit, but attention is being paid to ensure you don't go too fast in terms of energy."

Five manufacturers are preparing for next year

In 2026, new engine and aero regulations will be introduced in Formula 1. Five manufacturers, Red Bull Powertrains, Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Audi, will supply power units to the 11 teams on the grid.

With the current regulations entering its final weekend, team principal Laurent Mekies, Frederic Vasseur, and Ayao Komatsu all reflected on the current power units fondly.