Toto Wolff Shuts Down Mercedes' Sailing, Consulting Ventures to Focus Solely on F1

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is pulling the plug on the team's ventures into America's Cup sailing and technology consulting, declaring a renewed and singular focus on Formula 1. The decision comes as the Brackley outfit prepares for a massive regulatory overhaul in 2026, a moment Wolff sees as critical to reclaiming their spot at the top. "We don’t want to do this anymore. We’re a Formula 1 racing team," Wolff stated, making the strategic pivot clear.

Why it matters:

After a difficult ground-effect era where Mercedes failed to produce a consistently dominant car, the team is treating the 2026 regulations as a reset button. Spreading engineering resources and focus across other sports was a luxury they can no longer afford. This move signals a return to basics and an all-in commitment to designing a championship-winning car, acknowledging that anything less than full concentration could see them fall further behind rivals like Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari.

The details:

• The ventures were operated under the Mercedes Applied Science division, launched in 2019 to leverage F1 expertise in other fields.
• The primary partnership was with INEOS, founded by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, for both sailing (INEOS Britannia) and cycling projects.
• The sailing team reached the final of the 37th America's Cup in 2024 but lost to New Zealand. INEOS subsequently withdrew from the next challenge, effectively ending the program.
• Wolff admitted the recent period was a misstep, stating, "[The ground effect era] was the first time that we didn’t get it right," highlighting the urgency to correct their course for the next set of rules.

What's next:

With the 2026 regulations on the horizon, featuring new power units and significant aerodynamic changes, Mercedes is consolidating all its talent and resources in Brackley. Wolff views the upcoming rules as the essence of F1—"innovation, high-tech, and being the fastest laboratory in the world." The team's sole objective now is to channel its formidable engineering prowess into a single project, aiming to ensure they are not just competitive, but back in a position to fight for championships from day one of the new era.