Stella dismisses Wolff's budget excuse as McLaren closes in on Mercedes in 2026

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has cast open doubt on Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s assertion that his team cannot afford to fast-track upgrades to its 2026 car, as the competitive order in Formula 1 continues to shift against the previously dominant Silver Arrows.

Wolff made the remarks after the Dutch Grand Prix, explaining that Mercedes had deliberately spread its $215m cost cap allowance across the season and was planning a larger aerodynamic package for October’s Bahrain Grand Prix. “We haven’t got the money to put developments on the car,” Wolff said, adding a veiled warning that rivals spending heavily early in the year may struggle to match that pace later in the season.

Stella was unconvinced. Asked directly about Wolff’s comments, the McLaren chief replied simply: “I would like to believe you, but I actually don’t believe you.”

His scepticism centres on an additional $3m cost cap allowance granted to all teams to help them prepare for the sweeping 2027 power unit regulations, which shift the energy split between combustion and electrical power to 57-43 and also affect certain areas of car design. Crucially, that allowance can be applied within the 2026 reporting period, meaning teams have more financial headroom than the headline $215m figure suggests.

“All teams will have an allowance in their reporting for the cost cap,” Stella said. “And if I’m not wrong, it’s like three million that you can use in the 2026 reporting for cost cap calculations. And I’m sure that Mercedes, having seen that their rivals are kind of elevating the game, I’m sure they will now cash in on their development that surely is happening in the ground.”

Stella suggested the gap between Mercedes’ wind tunnel performance and its on-track package is likely significant, and that the team will be motivated to close it quickly given the pressure now being applied by McLaren and Ferrari, both of whom have taken two wins apiece in recent rounds after making substantial upgrades to their cars.

Mercedes, meanwhile, faces a difficult stretch before its planned Bahrain upgrade lands, with three consecutive rounds in Italy, Spain and Azerbaijan offering further opportunities for its rivals to extend their momentum. Whether Wolff’s budget framing reflects genuine constraint or a strategic attempt to manage expectations — and perhaps unsettle rivals into easing their own spending pace — remains an open question in the paddock.