© Jerome Miron/Imagn
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff went on a wild, profanity-laced rant at preseason testing in Bahrain on Thursday that involved tying himself to the infamous Epstein Files.
Wolff, who is no stranger to controversy, seemed to be speaking with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek when he said he was in the files related to the deceased billionaire who was convicted on sex trafficking, among several other charges.
But Wolff was not joking when he began the rant, which was aimed at other teams’ complaints over Mercedes’ car for the 2026 F1 season.
“You know this is another of these stories,” he said. We were told compression ratio is something that we were illegal, which is total bulls—. Utter bulls—, and now the next story comes up that our fuel is illegal?” he stated. “I don’t know where that comes from and it starts spinning again. Maybe tomorrow we’re inventing something else? I don’t know, I’ve been on the Epstein files, God knows what.”
Be mad or frustrated about the situation all you want, but this is not it. nor is it a laughing matter btw. pic.twitter.com/oenGHdsp2C
— lec♡︎ (@leclercsstreet) February 19, 2026
Toto Wolff’s Epstein Files Comes Amid A Number Of F1-Related Controversies
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur attempted to rescue Wolff, prompting him to walk back his words. But Wolff opted not to do so.
His comments also come after the FIA, the sport’s governing body, announced changes to the way it will scrutinize cars at the midpoint of the season, beginning on August 1.
Those changes come after allegations that Mercedes exploited a loophole in the rules when creating its engine for the 2026 season, giving the team far more power than the rest of the engines on the grid.
Additionally, there are claims that the team’s fuel supplier, Petronas, will not be able to supply the proper type of fuel to the team to start the 2026 season.
Yet again, Wolff denied those rumors. But in doing so, he created a far, far worse story for himself.