Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has again raised concerns over Brexit and the impact it could have on Formula 1.
On March 29, the United Kingdom is set to leave the European Union and currently would fall back onto WTO rules without an agreement in place.
Currently, seven of the 10 teams all based in the country, but the uncertainty is forcing the German manufacturer to consider its options.
“Brexit is a major concern for us and should be a major concern for all of us that live in the UK and operate out of the UK,” Wolff said in Barcelona on Monday.
“We’re moving in and out of the UK, our people move in and out of the UK, the way we’re getting parts and services is just in time at the last minute into the UK, and any major disruption with borders and taxes would massively damage the Formula 1 industry in the UK.
“Our team is an international team [with] around 15-20 different nationalities in our team, many EU citizens, and there is uncertainty at the moment as to how the industry is going to be impacted by a no-deal Brexit or a Brexit that is going to be damaging to, for me, one of the outstanding industries in the UK.
“We’ve said that before, it’s the mother of all messes,” he concluded.
Also Read:
The Mercedes boss reveals he and Motorsport UK chairman David Richards wrote a letter to politicians at Westminster highlighting the potential dangers to F1 and beyond, comparing the sport’s presence in the South East area to Silicon Valley in the US.
As racing team operators and businessmen, we would always think that rational thinking is going to prevail and eventually protect an industry and protect the British economy,” the Austrian continued.
“I think that what we have seen at least, Formula 1 feels very much exposed to the decisions that could be made on a political level, and it is a risk for our people and a risk for the industry.
“At the moment, there is a risk whether the UK can stay as competitive a location as it is today. We would very much hope that it stays like this.
“[But] we are looking through various scenarios with Mercedes Benz UK because it not only impacts F1 but it also impacts the mother brand in terms of getting cars and parts in and out of the country,” said Wolff.
“I can see very much that if a no deal Brexit would happen like having been discussed, I think it would have a major impact on our operation going to the races and getting our cars developed and ready so that is a nightmare scenario that I don’t want to even envisage.”
On a sporting level too, the Mercedes chief warns of another consequence should the disruption occur.
“It would cause the UK teams a lot of headaches. Ferrari [and Toro Rosso] in Italy, Sauber [Alfa Romeo] in Switzerland would have a massive advantage over every UK based team,” Toto concluded.
