Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur is clearly unhappy with Toto Wolff's suggestion that his team's upgrade programme could be breaking the budget cap.

Speaking in Austria last weekend, the Mercedes boss said: "We're a little bit surprised that Ferrari can throw these huge updates at the car in the way they do.

"In my opinion, they need to be running out of money soon, cost cap money, because we can't do that," he added. "We're simply lacking the buffer in the cost cap to be able to bring so many parts in the way they do.

"Hopefully that's going to change towards the end of the season when they won't be able to bring any parts anymore. At least, let's say, the logic would say that and we're going to come with more."

At Silverstone's press conference on Friday, Vasseur clearly wasn't impressed.

"I find it quite ironic coming from Toto and Mercedes," said the Frenchman. "When Red Bull is developing, or when Mercedes is developing, they are a genius... when we are developing, we are cheating.

"I think you have to calm down with this," he added. "We didn't bring more parts than Red Bull or another one, I don't know if it was a joke."

Pushed harder on whether he believed Wolff was actually suggesting that Ferrari is cheating, Vasseur replied: "If you think that we overshoot the cost cap, for me it's going in this direction."

His unhappiness with the matter obvious, Vasseur was asked why Wolff - who has admitted that the Scuderia is his team's biggest threat - was only talking about the Maranello outfit and not the likes of Red Bull which also has an intense upgrade programme.

"If you have to ask something to Toto," he said, "go to Toto and ask him why he spoke about me. Honestly, I have no clue."

Asked if he himself has taken up the issue with the Austrian, Vasseur said: "I think it better to avoid to speak."

Referring to his team's upgrade programme he said: "We are all in the same boat that if we can bring something at the beginning, we do it. It's better to have a couple of tenths for five races than just a couple of tenths for the last two.

"But sometimes it's difficult to find performance," he added, "sometimes you can have the feeling that we are bringing a big upgrade, but it is just the modification of some parts and nothing else."

Due to the chassis regulations overhaul, the proposed budget for 2026 has been raised from $135m (£101m) to $215m (£161m), while the power unit manufacturers cost cap has increased from $95m (£71m) to $130m (£97m).