Toto Wolff admits that Mercedes needs to "reinvent" itself in engine battle

Wolff, says power unit gains from its rivals will result in Mercedes seeking ways to “reinvent” itself in a bid to wrestle back supremacy in Formula 1’s engine battle.

Mercedes dominated the early years of the V6 turbo era but has faced increased competition from the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull in recent seasons.

This year, Ferrari appears to boast a significant straight-line speed advantage over the German manufacturer, which opted to change its traditional car development philosophy over the winter to focus more on increasing downforce.

Red Bull’s switch from Renault to Honda power has proved an inspired move, with the Japanese manufacturer making impressive progress so far this year on its way to scoring two victories in its new partnership.

“The Red Bull chassis was always among the best and it still is,” Wolff told Crash.

“And then Honda has made a big step forward from last year to this year and all credit to them.

“I am happy to see that for Formula 1 because a strong Honda is good for Formula 1 and good for the competition and in the end, if there is a fourth power unit supplier that has a competitive edge then there is generally positives for all of us.

“It also shows us that we have got to reinvent ourselves in a way and I see this as a really positive challenge.”