Wolff: "That would mean the beginning of the end for me"

What do you do if one of the manufacturers falls behind after the freeze and is unable to close the gap due to strict enforcement of the frozen regulations? Christian Horner and also Mattia Binotto of Ferrari therefore argue for a system similar to the 'balance of performance' as we see for example in GT3 championships.

Binotto did not want to use the term 'balance of performance' because, according to him, the aim is not to make the engines equal. He is therefore talking about the possibility of making adjustments for manufacturers who are lagging behind.

Mercedes and Renault do not like it

Ferrari and Red Bull are diametrically opposed to Mercedes and Renault. Both parties see something in freezing the development, but feel nothing for a so-called 'balance of performance' or whatever they want to call it.

"I don't see any difference," Toto Wolff is quoted as saying by Motorsport-Total.com. "I've said it before: for me this would be the beginning of the end." He says it doesn't fit with Formula 1's DNA and because engines can be judged not only by power (but also weight, cooling and drivability), "a simple formula that works for everyone is not possible."

Humiliation for Ferrari?

According to Wolff, there is also a risk that after the race there will only be talk about the balance between the manufacturers and whether the FIA has found the right balance. He ends with a sneer at Ferrari. The Scuderia once advocated the abolition of a similar token system and now wants to reintroduce it in the event of a freeze.

"That's a small insult if I'm honest. I can't understand why a manufacturer who believes in their ability to develop a power source and a chassis would want such a mechanism that balances the power sources. I don't think anyone wants to be humiliated like that in public," said Wolff, whose criticism is rebutted by Horner. The Red Bull Racing team boss understands why Toto says this. He wants to maintain the status quo.