Wolff urges Mercedes rivals to ‘focus on themselves’ amid 2026 engine row
Toto Wolff has dismissed claims from rivals over the legality of his team’s new engine, insisting it is within the regulations,The Mercedes team principal said that the onus lay with the other manufacturers who had missed an opportunity and that they should get their “shit together”,The row over whether Mercedes and Red Bull have stolen a march on the opposition in their engine design has dominated the buildup to the new season and Wolff notably did not rule out other teams protesting against the legality of their engines after they are used competitively for the first time at the Australian Grand Prix on 8 March,The disagreement centres on Mercedes and Red Bull having taken advantage of the regulations in increasing the compression ratio of their engines, set at 16:1 but measured when the car is at rest,It is believed both teams have made use of the thermal expansion of certain components to increase the compression ratio to as much as 18:1 when the car is running – equating to potentially as much as a 0.
3sec per lap pace advantage – but remain within the rules when the ratio is measured while the car is “cold”.The other engine manufacturers, Audi, Ferrari and Honda, had written and complained to the sport’s governing body, the FIA, which discussed the issue at a meeting held before the first test.Speaking at the official launch of the new Mercedes car, the W17, which was fast and reliable in the first test at Barcelona last week, Wolff bullishly accused his rivals of having missed a trick.“I just don’t understand why some teams concentrate more on others and keep arguing a case that is very clear and transparent,” he said.“Communication with the FIA was very positive all along and it was not only on compression ratio but on other things, too.
It is very clear what the regulations say, and very clear what the standard procedures are.“Just get your shit together.They are doing secret meetings, and sending secret letters and trying to invent ways of testing that don’t exist.Maybe you want to find excuses before you have started?”The meeting between the manufacturers and the FIA did not resolve the issue and if Mercedes and Red Bull do enjoy an advantage they will take it into the new season.The Red Bull technical director, Ben Hodgkinson, has been similarly adamant that his team are within the rules and equally dismissive of their rivals, noting: “Any engineer that doesn’t understand about thermal expansion doesn’t belong in this sport, doesn’t deserve to be an engineer really.
”Wolff was just as unwavering in his stance and maintained that the FIA considered the engine adhered to the regulations.“The power unit is legal,” he said.“The power unit corresponds to how the regulations are written.That’s how we see the world today, and that’s what the FIA said.That’s what the president of the FIA [Mohammed Ben Sulayem] said, and he knows a bit about that.
”However, when asked if he anticipated a protest in Melbourne after the race, he did not rule out action from rival teams,“The power unit corresponds to how the checks are being done,The power unit corresponds to how these things are measured in any other vehicle,Everything else I can’t judge upon,Let’s wait and see, but we feel robust.
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US jobs report delayed again amid government shutdown
The US’s closely watched jobs report will once again be delayed, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced on Monday, amid a government shutdown.The January 2026 jobs report, originally scheduled to be released on Friday, will be rescheduled when federal funding resumes. Data collection for the report has been completed, but the shutdown has forced a delay to releasing the report, which will provide crucial jobs data on the US labor market following the weakest year for job growth since 2020, with the addition of only 584,000 jobs in 2025 compared with 2 million in 2024.“The Employment Situation release for January 2026 will not be released as scheduled on Friday, February 6, 2026. The release will be rescheduled upon the resumption of government funding,” Emily Liddel, associate commissioner of the BLS, said in a statement
Gold and silver prices seesaw as FTSE 100 hits record high
Gold and silver prices seesawed on Monday, after a “meltdown” in the metals market deepened and rattled investors around the world.Gold prices tumbled by as much as 8% to $4,465 an ounce on Monday, ending a run of record highs that took it to nearly $5,600 last week. It later recovered some ground, but was still down by 3.5% at $4,700 in afternoon trading.Silver fell by as much as 7%, after a 30% slump on Friday, before recovering slightly to $79
‘A mixed blessing’: crowdfunding has changed the way we give, but is it fair and effective?
Within hours of the Bondi beach terror attack, the money had already begun to pour in. As images of the tragedy flooded social media, people from around the world donated tens of thousands of dollars to the victims, their families and first responders.Passing the hat around the neighbourhood or the local pub has always been a staple response in times of crisis. But today, that instinct to open your wallet has been exponentially supercharged via a digital simulacrum: online crowdfunding platforms.GoFundMe fundraisers have since raised more than $3m for Ahmed al-Ahmed, who tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen before he suffered three gunshot wounds to his shoulder
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Meta’s second major trial of 2026 over alleged harms to children begins on Monday.The landmark jury trial in Santa Fe pits the New Mexico attorney general’s office against the social media giant. The state alleges that the company knowingly enabled predators to use Facebook and Instagram to exploit children.The trial will introduce evidence that Raúl Torrez, the state’s attorney general, believes shows how Meta’s social networks create dangerous environments for children, exposing them to sexual exploitation, solicitation, sextortion and human trafficking.The lawsuit states that Meta’s design choices and profit incentives prioritized engagement over child safety and that it failed to implement effective safeguards
NFL looking into messages between Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and Jeffrey Epstein
The NFL says it is looking into links between New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Tisch’s name was mentioned more than 400 times in emails relating to Epstein that were released by the US justice department last week. Tisch has never been charged with any crime connected to the investigation into Epstein.“The league is aware of the reports and Steve’s response. Our office will look into the matter to understand the facts,” the NFL said in a statement on Monday
Australia to face debutants Hong Kong in opening match of 2027 Rugby World Cup
The 2027 World Cup will get off to a low-key start with Australia kicking off against Hong Kong after the organisers opted against beginning the tournament with the Wallabies’ blockbuster pool fixture against New Zealand. When Australia were drawn in the same pool as their arch-rivals in December it was widely expected that such a mouth-watering fixture would raise the curtain on the tournament.However, with the first match taking place on Australia’s west coast in Perth on 1 October, organisers have opted to pit Hong Kong – competing at their first World Cup – against the Wallabies in what is sure to be a one-sided affair. The opening weekend of the tournament features just one fixture involving two tier-one nations – South Africa against Italy.Australia’s fixture against the All Blacks will take place on the second weekend of the tournament in Sydney, where a bigger stadium will maximise exposure
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