Rumor: Mercedes F1 Team intended to cheat over summer break

Christian Horner has warned Toto Wolff that it would be ‘illegal’ for Mercedes to continue updating the W13 during Formula One’s summer break. In the latest war of words between the two team principals, Red Bull chief Horner has warned his rival of summer law-breaking.

Wolff and Mercedes are hoping to build on that momentum by making further updates to the car. However, Horner has told them they cannot do so throughout the summer break, which takes place after Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Horner warned: “I heard that Toto is said to have said that they are working through the summer break to improve the car. That would, of course, be illegal.”

Sly like a fox. Toto Wolff Executive director of the Mercedes AMG F1 Team during the Austrian GP, 6-10 July 2022 at Red Bull Ring track, Formula 1 World championship 2022. Will Mercedes cheat and develop their car over the summer break? Who will be in their factory watching what is going on?

Wolff and Mercedes are hoping to build on recent momentum by making further updates to the car. However, Horner has told them, per the F1 rules, they cannot do so throughout the summer break, which takes place after Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

It comes after Wolff accused Horner of being ‘bored’ after Red Bull contested new F1 regulations designed to limit the porpoising of the cars. Red Bull have not suffered from the problem quite so frequently, and it is partly why Max Verstappen is so far ahead of his rivals in the world drivers’ championship.

“Clearly when you’re running in the front you just want to just make sure that nothing changes. I think he’s just bored at the front. So good for him,” the Austrian told journalists, in a sign that the two team principals are back at loggerheads.