Wolff: Teams "not on the radar today" could be "up there" with new aero changes

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes the new regulation changes for the 2019 season could "change everything upside down", as the Austrian points out there are some big variables and loopholes that could be exploited by any team.

The 2019 season comes with some new rules, mainly aerodynamics related. Front wings will be bigger and less complex, in an attempt to increase overtaking. The current front wings disrupted the airflow behind the car so much that it wouldn't be profitable for a chasing car to stay in a slipstream, as the 'dirty air' could ruin the chaser's tyres. The new front wings are expected to change this. Wolff thinks that this will have more impact than any other change.

"I think that the biggest impact will be the completely new aerodynamic regulations," he was quoted by RaceFans.

"That will change everything upside down. Somebody might find a loophole or a regulation or understand how these cars work earlier than others so I think there is a big, big variable in those new regulations.

"We will have teams right up there that are not on the radar today."

A somewhat bold statement, given that other big figures within F1 have downplayed the impact it will have. Ross Brawn, for example, thinks the new wings will make for "20% more overtaking", but Wolff thinks it could completely change the sport.