TOTO WOLFF says he has no concerns about the legality of this year’s Mercedes.
Wolff’s team stunned the F1 paddock in Bahrain by unveiling a slimmed down version of their car they tested in Barcelona last month.
The new design is causing huge debate
Toto Wolff is relaxed
The new design has raised eyebrows and could be subjected to a protest from rival teams, such as Red Bull, who will question whether it is within the new rules.
But Wolff says his team have done nothing wrong and the small sidepod design has been given the all-clear by the FIA.
He said: “The process is very clear, when you go in a specific development direction with your team, having the FIA as part of scrutinising it, you’re exchanging CAD data and making them part of the process.”
Asked whether he feared rivals could protest the design and seek a change to the rules, he added: “It is clear that sometimes when you come with an innovation, it creates the kind of debate that we’re having here.
“That’s why that was expected. We have the new governance with the super majority that’s needed.
“My opinion is that I would have preferred to stay with the old system, and if a team comes up with an innovation, possibly you can’t take it off the car if it’s compliant with the regulations.
“I think the FIA and Formula One will for sure handle that with diligence, in the spirit of the sport.
“We were keen in not running alone with that, but being in touch with the FIA, that’s why I think it will be okay.”
F1 teams are in Bahrain for the next few days for final testing.
The season then kicks off in the same country on March 20.
The new design is being questioned
