Fans are expecting 2022 to be a major year in Formula 1 as a whole bunch of new regulations are set to be implemented. However, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff seems to think that the excitement and competition that exists now will disappear.
The current season has been a nail-biting one till now. Mercedes is experiencing the strongest push from rivals Red Bull. Wolff states that the field will mellow down by next year.
“We have always said it and it is simply quite logical: if you keep the rules, the field converges,” Wolff told the media.
“Because for those at the front, the gains just keep getting smaller, even with more effort. At some point, the teams that are behind will continue the steep form curve and then you have the convergence. If you look at qualifying, it was tip top.”
Here, Wolff is talking about the qualifying sessions at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where the top eight finishers had a very small gap between them.
Lewis Hamilton took pole, beating Red Bull’s Sergio Perez by 0.035 seconds. Max Verstappen, in third-place, was only a further 0.054 behind his teammate.
Apart from a tweak in the aerodynamic rules, the cars of 2021 have not changed much from the 2020 season. Wolff thinks that periods of domination by individual outfits will end with the upcoming 2022 season.
“Just as I felt that was the direction we should go, I promise that next year we will have a situation with a widely split field,” the Mercedes team principal said.
“Maybe Mercedes won’t be in front then. But we will be back to the previous situation.”
The changes being introduced in 2022 were originally meant for this year. But they were delayed due to the financial aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
Do you think 2022 will see completely new title challengers? Let us know in the comments below!
Read More: “He’s simply too slow”: Pressure growing on Bottas to keep hold of Mercedes seat