Renault has warned innovation must remain part of Formula 1 as the debate continues of Mercedes' DAS system.

Last week, the reigning Formula 1 champions shocked the paddock when the system, which alters the toe angle of the front wheels by pulling or pushing the steering wheel, was spotted being used during the second day of winter testing.

Having been declared legal by the FIA after initial question marks, DAS raised the prospect of other teams having to come up with their own versions to keep pace with Mercedes, but if so, it certainly won't be soon.

“It’s certainly not a system that we are going to copy or have on the car for Melbourne,” sporting director Alan Permane said.

“It’s highly complex and advanced and I suspect it’s taken them a long time to figure it out and a lot of testing back at the factory.

“So if there is a benefit and it is legal, you won’t see other cars with it for quite some time."

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One factor which may well sway teams away from developing their own 'Dual-Axis Steering' system, is the FIA had already banned it under the 2021 regulations when they were released last October.

That has raised a debate over innovation in F1, given the governing body has quickly acted to ban a number of concepts like double diffusers, the F-Duct and so on.

And with concerns the new regulations are only going to restrict development, Permane has issued this warning to the sport's bosses.

“F1 is about innovation, it’s about people differentiating and finding that edge over their competitors,” he said via Crash.net.

“So while we are jealous or frustrated or whatever, Mercedes have clearly found something they think is a benefit and I think that's one of the wonderful things about F1.

“I don’t know in 2021 if projects like that would ever get off the ground if you go to F1 and say ‘I’ve got this and it’s going to be worth two-tenths of a lap’, they are going to shut it down in two races and you may not see that kind of thing.

“I think there’s a line and we have to be careful that we don’t quash that sort of free-thinking and that sort of spirit. That’s part of the DNA of F1.”

FIA race director Michael Masi, who was present with Permane at the time, responded to the Renault chief's comments.

“We’re talking about this innovation because I think it’s probably the first time in a long time that something is actually quite clear in someone’s face,” he said.

“Others have both innovated for this year’s cars that would have gone through a process but because they aren’t visible there’s no point of discussion.

“From an innovation side, you’ve seen what F1 has done in so many areas, it’s a balance overall. These guys all have a financial regulations cap coming in for next year so there’s a balance as well.

"That’s going to be the added balance which they need to add to the equation for 2021.”

Indeed, from next year teams will be limited to a budget of $175m but for some exceptions like marketing costs and salaries.