Wolff says Mercedes was not the impetus for supply parity issue

Mercedes head Toto Wolff has denied that his firm was in any way the target of the recent FIA push to ensure manufacturers supply identical spec power units to its customers.

The FIA recently sent out a technical directive to all teams, reinforcing the requirement for all engine suppliers to give identical hardware and software to customer teams as well as their own works operations.

From now on all customer teams will also have identical fuel and oil specifications to the works cars, unless they have opted for a different supplier deal.

Some paddock members have suggested that the FIA directive was aimed more at Mercedes than Renault or Ferrari, with Red Bull head Christian Horner even suggesting reporters “go ask Claire Williams” where the impetus for the clampdown came from.

Wolff, however, is adamant that neither Williams or Force India have lobbied on the subject.

“I don’t think any of our customers was pushing for it,” said Wolff. “It’s not relevant to us because the rules have been in place for a while that you must supply customers with the same hardware and software, and we’ve always done that. Identical modes for the customers and us. There has never been any difference. That’s why we don’t have a problem with it [the directive]. If there was any suspicion out there, it certainly wasn’t anything that would have any consequence for us.”