JULY 5, 2026

Wolff insists Ferrari cheating claim never made

Toto Wolff has hit back at Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur after their increasingly public disagreement over Formula 1's budget cap.

Vasseur suggested at Silverstone that Wolff had effectively accused Ferrari of cheating by questioning how the Maranello team had managed to introduce so many upgrades during the 2026 season.

The Frenchman also admitted the row had strained their long-standing friendship.

Wolff, however, insisted his comments had been taken out of context.

Fred needs to read the whole story, not just the headlines, he told Sky Deutschland after qualifying at Silverstone.

Then he'll understand what I said. He shouldn't always take it so personally.

The Mercedes boss denied he had ever implied Ferrari was breaching the financial regulations.

"No, not at all. I said that they'll probably have to hold back on the updates in the end because a lot of work has just been done on the car.

There's no question of cheating.

Wolff admitted, however, that Vasseur's reaction had not entirely surprised him.

"That's just a statement of facts. But Fred can get very angry very easily.

I know that's true, I've known him for 25 years.

Asked if the exchange had damaged their friendship, Wolff replied: We are primarily competitors here, and sometimes you go through easier times and sometimes through more difficult ones.

The latest exchange comes as Ferrari has emerged as Mercedes' closest challenger in 2026, with Charles Leclerc enjoying a timely return to form at Silverstone after qualifying alongside polesitter Kimi Antonelli.

I'm happy for Charles, he was under pressure, Vasseur told Sky Italia.

Leclerc admitted he had recently faced a choice between adapting to Lewis Hamilton's driving style or persisting with his own approach.

I went towards the second route, which was to stick with what I know worked in the past and try to find a way around with the car and with every tool that I have available inside the car, he said.

But I still want to stress that it's only one qualifying session. It doesn't mean that from now on it's going to change my season.

(GMM)