Mercedes boss Wolff: Saga over F1's 2021 rules now has 'momentum'

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes there is "momentum" behind Formula 1's attempts to finalise its 2021 rules package

Meetings of both the Strategy Group and F1 Commission will take place next Tuesday to help shape F1's next major rules overhaul, and FIA president Jean Todt has indicated he expects progress to be made during these talks.

A deadline of defining the 2021 regulations by the end of June has added some urgency to proceedings.

The meeting that could define F1's future

Wolff is optimistic about the progress that can be made during the meetings, but despite accepting in principle the idea of a cost cap - which will affect F1's three big teams, Mercedes Ferrari, and Red Bull - said any such measure must be workable.

"I feel that there's some momentum in the process," said Wolff, when asked by Autosport about attempts to shape the rules package.

"And we are all keen on understanding how 2021 looks.

"Mercedes certainly is interested in having a cost cap implemented, at the right levels, so it makes sense for everybody.

"Get the big teams on board in a way that is implementable. And the small teams to kind of at least cap us, and make sure that we're not running away with even higher costs every year.

"Regulations are obviously another big building block, this is important to get over the line until June.

"So let's see how next week goes, but what I hear is making me optimistic."

Racing Point team principal Otmar Szafnauer agreed work appears to be advancing behind the scenes but that the cost cap was a key issue that needs addressing as quickly as possible.

"Time is marching, so it will be really good to start figuring out what's going to happen," Szafnauer told Autosport.

"We're happy with the cost cap that was proposed before.

"I think in the background, there are things happening, there's a framework of how to police a cost cap."