Toto Wolff claims F1 cars ready to hit insane 400 KM/H

Wolff and Mercedes in 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Toto Wolff claims F1 cars ready to hit insane 400 KM/H

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has made a bold claim about F1 cars

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 24 August 2025 13:58

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed the new era of F1 could see cars reach speeds of 400km/h for 2026.

Next season, new regulations will come into place in F1 marking the end of the championship's second ground effect era, which hampered the abilities of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

The former Mercedes star is just one of many hoping next season's regulations reset will provide a fresh start, with the new cars designed to increase competition and reduce the sport's carbon footprint.

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Mercedes team principal Wolff recently admitted that Hamilton has 'unfinished business' in F1, having been let down by the Silver Arrows' underperformance since the last regulations change in 2022.

But, the Brackley-based F1 outfit have been tipped by many as the hot favourites to master the new era, despite the supposed unusual driving style.

With simulations already underway in preparation for the new machinery, Auto Motor und Sport have reported that Wolff promises: "When full power is deployed, we'll be approaching the 400 km/h limit."

Former Mercedes star Valtteri Bottas holds the current record for the highest top speed ever recorded in an F1 car, after reaching 234.88 mph (378 km/h) during the 2016 Azerbaijan GP qualifying.

The 2026 F1 car is designed to be smaller and more agile than current machinery

Mercedes reveal details over 2026 challengers

Multiple stars of the current F1 grid have not been shy in their criticism of the 2026 regulations, as reports continue to come from within the FIA and various team technical directors over the development of the new machinery.

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis recently admitted that as things stand, the cars are set to be slower, but they are far from being complete, with Tombazis adding that the latest simulations are 'just the beginning'.

Mercedes technical director James Allison revealed further details over the 2026 challenger to AMuS, saying: "These are cars with a flat underbody and a step in the middle. You can't seal them as tightly on the sides as you can with the current cars. That makes it harder to maintain the low-pressure zone under the car. The Venturi effect will be less pronounced.

"Nevertheless, the 2026 cars are not a carbon copy of what we saw in the era before 2022. They lie somewhere in between then and now."

The British engineer went on to contradict any drivers who have criticised the alleged difference in driving style expected from the new cars, saying: "The handling will be more comfortable than in current cars. There will be fewer shifts in balance between slow and fast corners and between turning in and accelerating. It will be easier to keep understeer and oversteer where you want them."

So, to stars like Lance Stroll or Charles Leclerc who have been vocal over their concerns that the new regulations will negatively impact the sport, just listen to Felipe Drugovich's glowing review.

The former F2 champion currently acts as a test and reserve driver for Aston Martin, meaning he spends plenty of time in the simulator and behind the wheel of various machinery.

Reflecting on his first impression of the 2026 car, Drugovich said: "It's really fun in the corners because there's always power available thanks to the high proportion of electric power. It takes some getting used to the fact that the power suddenly drops off in the second half of the straights."

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Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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F1 Mercedes Toto Wolff