Wolff says engine rivals plotting against Mercedes

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has accused rival Formula

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One manufacturers of ganging up against his team to put pressure on the governing FIA to change the engine rules, but said it would make no difference.The Austrian was speaking at preseason testing in Bahrain on Feb 19, a day after the FIA announced an e-vote proposal to close a suspected loophole by proposing a change from August.

Rivals have accused Mercedes, who supply engines to champions McLaren as well as their own works team, Williams and Renault-owned Alpine, of exploiting a grey area to gain performance through compression ratios and thermal expansion of engine components.

Wolff told reporters the preseason favourites would accept the rule change but questioned the way it had been brought about.

“Either we stay with the regulations like we are or the e-vote goes ahead on Friday with the proposal that came from the FIA. Both are OK for us,” he said.

“We said all along that this looks like a storm in a teacup.