F1 News: Toto Wolff Responds to Rumors of Supplying Alpine With Engines - 'It Swings'

Alex Harrington | Jul 1, 2024

May 3, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Alpine driver Pierre Gasley (10) races into turn one during F1 practice at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Rumors that Mercedes will be potentially supplying engines to Alpine are a-swirlin', and it didn't take long for Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff to offer his take on what could be happening between the two outfits. Wolff's commentary comes at a critical juncture as Alpine restructures after two seasons of collapse and management breakdown.

"Alpine, at the moment, is exploring all sorts of avenues. Their management is clearly not happy with their performances. But you know how it is in Formula 1 - it swings," Wolff stated, referencing Alpine's fluctuating performance across recent races such as in Barcelona and Austria compared to the previous season. "Three races ago, Alpine had all the reasons to explore opportunities. But look at Barcelona and [Austria] and they look much better. So maybe overall it isn’t just the engine."

The potential shift for Alpine by 2026 is indeed monumental, as reports suggest they might abandon their engine development project with Renault, relegating their works team status in favor of becoming a customer team. This decision mirrors a historical struggle for performance since the turbo-hybrid regulations were introduced in 2014.

This is not just a technical or strategic decision but a deeply historical one within Formula 1. Ron Dennis, the former boss of McLaren, famously argued that a customer team could not aspire to win a world championship, a perspective that significantly shaped McLaren's engine strategies, including their initial pivot to Honda engines in 2015. Under current CEO Zak Brown, however, McLaren has reverted to Mercedes engines, leading to consistent upper-tier performances and challenging the long-held view against customer statuses.

Meanwhile, Mercedes is facing its own decisions ahead of the 2026 season when new engine regulations kick into effect. The team appears confident in maintaining its elite performance, potentially eyeing high-profile acquisitions like Max Verstappen to bolster their lineup in response to not only the loss of Lewis Hamilton from their roster but also a change in regulations from 2026 that will flatten the playing field once again.

Toto Wolff expressed concerns regarding the planned 2026 engine regulations.

“The regulations, as they stand, don’t look particularly great. But it’s a work in progress. I very much hope those responsible on the FIA side listen to the teams, and we work collaboratively to come up with regulations to make it an exciting sport. That is most important. They are stakeholders, and also the fans out there.”