Wolff looks forward to this fight in '26 - and it's not with Verstappen!

The F1 paddock widely expects Mercedes to have built a power unit superior to all manufacturers for 2026. However, Wolff is far from euphoric, he wants to see first if the German manufacturer indeed has things right: "These are just rumors, we know nothing at all," he responds in the Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I expect Ferrari to be very competitive, and Honda has shown how strong they are. I expect a lot from them with Aston Martin. Then you have Red Bull with their new engines, and Audi... Everyone wants to be ready and competitive, and we'll see who has done the best job." 

When Wolff thinks about which team he would like to challenge for the world title in '26, he does not mention Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing or McLaren - currently the dominant force in the sport. "The answer is simple: Ferrari. Ferrari vs. Mercedes would be fantastic. A classic."

"And then Lewis [Hamilton] and Charles [Leclerc] against Kimi [Antonelli] and George [Russell], an incredible challenge.''

''An Italian driver against an Italian car: can you imagine that? I have no doubt that this duel will take place, next year or in the future. We will experience it, and it will be fantastic," is the conviction of the Austrian team boss.