Wolff dials back RB22 benchmark claim as four frontrunners pinpointed

15:01, 19 Feb

byTobia Elia

Toto Wolff has walked back his recent comments in which he had claimed Red Bull were currently the outright benchmark on the grid.

I would say, it's four teams at the moment, that it's pretty much the usual suspects in either way”

- Toto Wolff

Last week, during the opening round of testing in Bahrain, the Austrian had praised the RB22, placing it at the top of the pecking order, particularly in terms of energy deployment.

Speaking again today in the press conference, the Mercedes team principal adopted a more cautious tone, suggesting the W17 is part of a group of four teams currently leading the field.

“First of all, it's a relief that we are we started testing and it actually feels decent. The drivers are quite pleased with the car and then on the stopwatch we know that we are not miles off and that was the case in all of the last three or four years that we had.

“We don't really know where everybody stands, because 10 kilograms of fuel load can make three to three and a half tenths of a second in lap time difference. You can kind of best guess where everybody is. I would say, it's four teams at the moment, that it's pretty much the usual suspects in either way. And I would think we are part of the group that can compete at the front.”

Photo: Race Pictures

Wolff fires brutal 'incompetent group' jab following engine debate outcome

During the same press conference, the Mercedes team principal also aimed a dig at the F1 Commission, despite welcoming the outcome of yesterday’s meeting.

The discussions in Bahrain between the FIA and power unit manufacturers over the engine compression-ratio debate resulted in a new proposal requiring compliance checks to be carried out not only at ambient conditions but also at a representative operating temperature of 130°C from 1 August 2026.

Here's what he had to say about it.