Jost Capito claims Mercedes might object to Volkswagen’s F1 entry

With the latest regulations kicking in this season, all of F1's engine providers — Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, and now Honda as well — are keen on perfecting their versions. In what looks to be an unpredictable lineup of teams, all teams seem keen to nail their development efforts. With the engine freeze coming in at the end of the 2025 season, their results will be heavily dependent on how they react to these regulations.

Amidst all this, rumors have been circulating regarding automobile giant Volkswagen's potential entry into the sport. Meanwhile, the automobile giant's Audi and Porsche brands have been taking part in talks over the 2026 regulations.

Williams F1 CEO Jost Capito thinks that 9 of the 10 teams would have no objections with the entry of the German company, bar one — Mercedes. He said :

“Formula 1 has gained interest in recent years and is very attractive for manufacturers. I would be happy if Volkswagen decides soon that they will come to Formula 1 with one or the other brand. It makes no sense to talk about it before VW has decided whether they are really going into Formula 1. If you got a call, I don’t think any team would say, ‘Get out of here!’. I can’t imagine that — Unless Mercedes gets the call!”

Capito also said that since no official decision has been made, there would be no point in approaching the manufacturers themselves, and that "it has to go step by step."

It must be noted that Mercedes has been the engine supplier for the Williams team since 2014.

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Mercedes and Red Bull cars reportedly fail crash tests

The Mercedes of George Russell during the testing in Abu Dhabi

The 2021 constructors' champion Mercedes has reportedly failed the safety crash test, according to a report from Italy. With the team looking for a ninth consecutive constructors' title and a possible record-breaking eighth world championship for Lewis Hamilton, this news will add to the challenge of the newest regulations in the sport.

The team's chief technical officer James Allison had earlier clarified that the shift had been 'incredibly hard', with the teams pushing forward before the season begins on 18 March with the Bahrain GP. He continued, saying:

“Very challenging, and long, to get our heads around this and to try to figure out what the best response is to these regulations, and where the opportunity is to be found in order to put a car on the track in a few short weeks from now, that gives us a chance of being competitive right from the beginning.”

The news comes soon after a similar report emerged, stating that their title rivals Red Bull had also failed the crash test. This could be a cause for concern for the Milton Keynes-based team, with their driver Max Verstappen looking to retain the momentum of the 2021 season which saw his maiden championship win in the sport.