The German car manufacturer has joined Renault and Ferrari in opposing on cost grounds a bold shake-up to regulations that was proposed by F1 owners Liberty Media and the FIA last year.

This stance prompted rivals to suggest that the manufacturers did not want anything to change because they were trying to protect their competitive advantage.

Wolff has denied that is the case, though, and says that a compromise proposal that has been given to the FIA and Liberty could actually make things harder for his team than an all-new powerplant.

Pushed on accusations that Mercedes is resisting change to stay in front, Wolff told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung : "You can't be such a super-opportunist. That will bite you one day.

"For us, a change in the engine regulations would

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