© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says if in 2022 “someone finds a loophole and runs away with it, everyone will recreate it. The cars will all be very similar”.
Formula 1 is gearing up for its first season under radical new rules. In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport Toto Wolff was asked if he fears that there could be a team that will “understand the new rules better and get ahead of everyone else”.
“I believe that the budget cap will make up for a lot,” the Austrian said.
“If someone finds a loophole and runs away with it, everyone will recreate it. The cars will all be very similar.
“There can still be differences in the first year. After that it will balance out. There will no longer be a team that drives a second faster.
Wolff was then asked if the bigger teams are still as opposed to the budget cap as they were when the idea was first introduced.
“Of course, the teams that had deep pockets weren’t particularly happy that they lost an advantage there.
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“But the whole thing has degenerated into an arms race between Red Bull, Ferrari and us. Now everything will be more balanced.
“I think there are five or six teams that can win in the future. That’s good for sports. It’s not always the same team that wins the Super Bowl.”
In 2021 Mercedes stopped the development of their current car early on in the season, to focus on their 2022 challenger. On the other hand Red Bull is thought to have divided its time more evenly between the two.
Wolff is asked if he believes that could be an advantage for Mercedes in 2022.
“We believed that last year too. Then the regulations were changed and our time advantage was gone.
“The development curve for the 2022 cars is currently rising so steeply that you cannot predict who will do it better and smarter,” Mercedes’ team boss concluded.
