Downsizing could make Mercedes race elsewhere to keep F1 staff
Mercedes Formula 1 team boss Toto Wolff has suggested that the marque may enter other categories of racing in order to utilise surplus resources after the cost cap is imposed in 2021.

The cap has been reduced from the original $175m to $145m for 2021, before going down to $135m.
The top three teams now face the prospect of reducing their F1 head counts by well over three figures over that time.
Ferrari has already indicated that it may deploy staff in other racing programmes, and Wolff says that Mercedes may follow that strategy – and made it clear one of the reasons was to prevent a mass exodus of staff with inside knowledge of its technology.
Wolff also stressed that the cap ensured that F1 made more financial sense for the marque.
"First of all we're living in a financial reality that is very different to pre-COVID," said Wolff. "And we have accepted the lower budget cap and it is a must that successful F1 franchises earn money rather than lose money.
"For us it is also a way of making sure that Daimler not only appreciates the sporting and marketing benefits of the platform, but also to make it as cost neutral as possible. And I believe this is why we need to support such a cost cap.
"For us it means readjusting, it means changing the way we do things, and deploy personnel in new areas. We have a very strong department that is called Mercedes Benz Applied Science, where we work for high performance clients, and deploy our services.
"And who knows? Maybe we will look at other race categories in order to keep the resource, and keep the human resource and intellectual property, within Mercedes."
Read Also:
Wolff also dismissed continued speculation that the German manufacturer may quit it works support of F1 – and insists that racing is a "core exercise" to which the Stuttgart management remains committed.
"There's always some kind of campaign and agenda going on," he said. "I think it's clear that every automotive company faces difficult and insecure times.
"Every single day you open up a magazine, or a newspaper, it's about VW, or Renault or Fiat or Daimler. And in that respect, I completely understand that our sporting platform is being questioned.
"The top management of Mercedes very much sees Formula 1 as a core activity. We build road cars, and we build race cars. And actually the first ever car was a race car.
"And in that respect, we don't see it simply as a marketing platform that generates valuable marketing dollars, but we see it as a core exercise. There is a technology transfer between the road and Formula 1, and it's not being criticised within Daimler.
"Nevertheless, we discuss all our activities and all our investments every single year. And I think we're just a target of somebody that wants to create some headlines and then maybe have more clicks."
Read Also:

Previous article
Wolff says Hamilton right to take a stand against racism
Next article
Leclerc a mix of Raikkonen and Schumacher - Alfa

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Teams | Mercedes |
Author | Adam Cooper |
Downsizing could make Mercedes race elsewhere to keep F1 staff
Trending
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end