Toto Wolff: “This year’s championship is a two-year championship”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has said that “this year’s championship is a two-year championship” ahead of the 2020 Formula 1 season as team also prepare for the introduction of regulation changes for 2021.

The rules are set for a large revamp for 2021 in an aim to bring closer racing on the track, with a change in aerodynamics, leading to different looking cars and a $175 million budget cap that teams can spend on car development.

This means throughout 2020 they will have to deal with developing their current car for the current season while working on their new challenger for next year.
 
Wolff believes that teams could be half a second behind next year should they be behind on the development of their 2021 car.

"This year's championship is a two-year championship," said Wolff at the announcement of Mercedes’ sponsorship deal with Ineos.

"It is not only about 2020 under the current regulations.

"There's such a massive regulatory change for 2021, that balancing your allocation of resource will be crucial in terms of how much of your resource you're switching into the 2021 car.

"Obviously, the learning and development slope is much steeper at the beginning.

"So if you get it wrong and you're months behind, you might be half a second behind.

"And this is a challenge which we have embraced in the past through two regulatory changes, and we love that one."

But Wolff and Mercedes’ motivations are still high for the upcoming season after securing six drivers and constructors titles in a row in 2019.

"Every year we try to set the right objectives, and objectives that are understood throughout the organisation," he added.

"I think it's so important to wake up with purpose. And I don't see a lack of motivation and purpose within the organisation.

"The pain of losing is so much more intense and lasts so much longer than the joy of winning. And this is in a way what drives us strongly.

"The sheer thought about losing makes you forget about all your previous achievements."