Racing Point admits development of their 2020 car is likely to end before the summer break to focus on 2021.
The Silverstone-based outfit surprised everyone by revealing a radically different design for this season’s RP20, a car that has been dubbed the ‘Pink Mercedes’ for its likeness to last year’s W10.
However, though that was a signal of the stronger financial footing the team is now on under the ownership of Lawrence Stroll, the expense of next year’s program is still meaning this season is having to be sacrificed.
“Unfortunately we’re not going to be able to develop that much because of the 2021 regulations so its a shame,” technical director Andrew Green was quoted by FormulaSpy.
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“We’d really love for these regulations to carry on for a couple more years, there is so much more potential in what we’re doing.
“For us, it’s almost like Year 1. I could see us really going taking even further steps in Year 2 and Year 3 but that’s not going to happen. We’re going to do a reset for next year.
“There is plenty of potential left but I think our resources are at a point where we will have to switch over to 2021 earlier.”
As for when that switch over point might be, Green continued: “I think from a factory perspective, we won’t be getting any more developments from the summer on.
“That means when you see the components come through for the car, around the summer break will be the last time we see anything but work would have stopped on the car in the middle of summer for that to be the case.”
It was in anticipation of that approach, however, that Racing Point opted to develop this year’s car to an advanced stage from the start.
“That was always the strategy to come out of the blocks fast because we know the rest of the year is going to be very challenging with next year’s regulations so we have to come out fast,” he said.
“We couldn’t do a slow start and look to upgrade the car and build up the speed of the car through the season as we did last year. It’s not going to be possible at all.
“That is really really important that we give ourselves a good foundation to go racing on. There is going to be a couple of upgrades on this car and it’s done. We’re onto next year.”