Mercedes is feeling the squeeze of Formula 1’s strict cost cap, and recent heavy crashes are forcing the team to make tough choices. Team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that the cumulative damage costs from several high-impact incidents mean Mercedes will need to limit its upgrades for the rest of the season.
The trouble started with Kimi Antonelli’s crash in his FP1 debut at Monza, followed by George Russell’s dramatic shunt during qualifying in Austin, and yet another crash in practice in Mexico City. Together, these crashes have put Mercedes on the back foot with budget constraints, as Wolff explained. “These three shunts put us on the back foot,” he admitted. “Certainly the one that happened [in Austin] was massive. We had to opt for a completely new chassis. That is a tremendous hit on the cost cap.”
With the financial hit, Mercedes is forced to scale back development. Wolff confirmed that the team will bring two new floors for the upcoming race in Brazil, but beyond that, the parts supply has been cut. “There’s nothing else that’s going to come. We have certain limitations on parts where we need to be creative in managing this,” Wolff stated, adding that the team will essentially have “zero” further upgrades to rely on for the remainder of the season.
Yet despite the financial strain and limited resources, Wolff remains firm in his commitment to letting his drivers race each other. After allowing Russell and teammate Lewis Hamilton to fight for fourth place in Mexico, Wolff expressed confidence in their experience and racing sense. “They’re so good and so experienced that we allow the racing,” he noted. “I don’t have any doubts about the two.”
With Mercedes facing a season of limited upgrades and heightened cost cap scrutiny, the team’s ability to remain competitive will hinge on maximizing its current setup. And while aggressive driving may come with risks, Wolff’s support for Russell and Hamilton to push to the limit demonstrates a commitment to racing excellence—even as budget pressures mount. The remaining races promise a challenging but thrilling close to the season as Mercedes navigates these financial and competitive hurdles.
