Stella rejects Wolff claim that Mercedes can’t afford F1 car developments - RACER

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has publicly disputed Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff's claim that his team cannot afford further F1 car developments beyond their planned upgrade package due to Formula 1's cost cap. Stella pointed to a roughly $3 million allowance linked to 2027 power unit regulations that teams can apply to their 2026 cost cap reporting, arguing Mercedes has the financial flexibility to introduce more upgrades. With McLaren's Lando Norris having won the last two grands prix and erasing Mercedes' previous advantage, Stella expressed confidence that Mercedes will soon convert wind tunnel development into real-car updates.