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Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says the new 2022 Formula 1 rules will bring “a certain disadvantage” to those in the lead, but his team has prepared for that.
The new 2022 Formula 1 rules have been designed with the intention of making overtaking easier and reducing the gaps between the teams.
This will obviously negatively impact the larger top teams as it will reduce the advantage they had, but Toto Wolff says Mercedes has accepted this while the rules were being designed.
“The regulations were designed for the specific purpose of making the field more competitive and not having these huge gaps,” the Austrian said.
“It is a fine adjustment. I think between P1, P2 and P3 it is not a big disadvantage.
“Obviously, if one of the top teams is a real outlier, like Ferrari in the first half of 2021, it can be up to a couple of tenths if you extrapolate from your own development curve.
“But this is what was meant with the whole thing. The teams further back, P7, P8, P9 and P10, will have, I think it is up to 20 percent more development time and this is how it should be.
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“It is more competitive, it will get more competitive and if you are in the lead you will be at a certain disadvantage, but we went eyes wide open into this and I think it is good for the sport.”
Wolff also said he was fascinated by the different approaches the teams took when designing their new cars.
“The development route has been chosen much earlier, beginning probably in the middle of last year. Everybody was continuing to develop their own car, that is what you need to focus on.
“But obviously from a fans’ perspective, which I count myself as well, looking at the other concepts and seeing what everybody has come out with and the interpretation of the regulations is fascinating.
“This is what makes Formula 1,” Mercedes’ team boss concluded.
