Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff has hit back at rival teams amid rumblings about a compression ratio trick with its new power unit.
This year, part of the power unit changes has seen a compression decrease to 16:1 from the previous 18:1 level.
The compression ratio relates to the largest and smallest volume in the cylinder, but can only be measured when the car is at ambient temperatures in the pit lane.
In the build-up to the new F1 season, it was reported that Mercedes has uncovered a way to operate the power unit at a higher level while on-track, which could provide it a significant boost in lap time.
Meetings have been held to discuss the concern, but Wolff has asserted that Mercedes has had reassurances from the FIA that its power unit is legal.
“I just don't understand why some teams concentrate more on the others and keep arguing a case that is very clear and transparent,” Wolff told media including RacingNews365.
“Communication with the FIA was very positive all along. It's not only on compression ratio but on other things too.
“And specifically in that area, it's very clear what the regulation say, it’s very clear what the standard procedures are on any motors, or even outside of F1.”
Mercedes enjoyed a positive Barcelona shakedown last week, tallying 500 laps across the three days of running - the most of any team.
It heads into the new campaign as the early favourites and will take to the track again next week at pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Wolff called on rival power unit manufacturers to focus on their own projects rather than attempting to dismantle Mercedes' work.
“So just get your shit together,” he declared.
“They are just doing secret meetings and sending secret letters and keep trying to invent ways of testing that just don't exist.
“I can just say at least from us here we are trying to minimize distractions. Minimizing distractions is looking more at us than everybody else when it’s pretty clear what the regulations say and also pretty clear what the FIA has said to us.
“We're all different. Maybe you want to find you want to find excuses before you’ve even started when things are not good.
“Everybody needs to do it at the best of their ability. But that is not how we would do things, especially when you’ve been told enough times that it’s fine.
“If somebody wants to entertain themselves by distraction, then everybody's free to do this.”
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Mercedes 'robust' over F1 engine legality
As the new season ticks closer, the true pace of Mercedes power unit will be soon be realised as a pecking order is established.
With the German manufacturer tipped to be a front-runner, Wolff asserted there is no shred of doubt regarding the power unit's legality.
“The power unit is legal,” he said in response to a question from RacingNews365. “The power unit corresponds to how the regulations are written.
“The power unit corresponds to how the checks are being done. The power unit corresponds of how these things are measured in any other vehicle and everything else I can't judge upon.
“That's how we see the world today, and that's what the FIA said. That's what the president of the FIA said, and he knows a bit about that.
“In that respect, let's wait and see. But we feel robust.”
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