Remember the anticipation ahead of the introduction of the 2017 regulation changes, and the subsequent gradual realisation and disappointment that in reality pretty much nothing had changed.

Well, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff claims the swathe of regulation changes for 2019, will really shake up the order... sort of.

With the levelling of the playing field courtesy of evening out the prize money and scrapping the various bonuses currently on hold, Chase Carey slowly realising exactly what he and his team have bitten off, hopes for shaking up the order seems to rest on tinkering with the technical regulations, though the engine formula is currently looking to remain pretty much as is.

Next year, not for the first time, the sport introduces a swathe of regulation changes aimed at improving the racing and hopefully levelling the field, including a wider, deeper, more simplified front wing.

Despite his team having won 73% of the races since the hybrid engine formula was introduced in 2014 and winning every driver and team title, Toto Wolff would have us believe that the 2019 changes might yet see the mighty Mercedes toppled.

"I think that the biggest impact will be the completely new aerodynamic regulations," he says, according to Motorsport.com, when asked about 2019.

"That will change everything upside down," he added. "Somebody might find a loophole or an innovation or understand how these cars work earlier than others.

"I think there's a big, big variable in those regulations next year, and we could even have teams being right up there that are not on the radar today."

Asked if Red Bull, will be more competitive with its new engine partner, he was equally enthusiastic.

"Yeah, it could well be," he replied. "Because we've seen there's no more pattern anymore, there's not one team that dominates one kind of circuit. It has changed, and the Honda engine certainly looks very powerful now, and Red Bull is a good group of racers."

And we thought his background was in investment companies rather than PR and marketing.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Stitch431, 13/10/2018 12:23

"My answer to the new regulations of the FIA, also applies here: The only real measure to make racing interesting is missing. The cars must change so that there is no more drag behind the cars and slipstreaming becomes possible again. Then the DRS can get off and there will be real racing again. More does not have to change, because in terms of engine power the manufacturers are now getting closer together. Let's leave out all other artificial measures that are just used as a smoke screen ..."

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2. Posted by Spindoctor, 12/10/2018 8:04

"It's reasonable to expect Mercedes will continue to dominate, especially with Mr Hamilton driving.
But it's also quite possible they'll make a car inferior to Ferrari or RBR. It's also quite possible that Ferrari will regain the mysteriously absent extra power, or that Honda will come good.

I shan't be watching any of it until such time as I am freed from the Murdoch Tax."

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3. Posted by imejl99, 12/10/2018 7:48

"It is not exactly reading the tea leaves, but not far from it either - configuration that puts tyres in operating temperature quickly with low wear at the same time wins. It apparently all goes down to tyre understanding. Mercedes got it best, they probably could go 70 laps on same set with little performance loss..."

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4. Posted by NS Biker, 11/10/2018 22:24

""including a wider, deeper, more simplified front wing."

Does this translate into a more easily disrupted and aero sensitive configuration.?
If Perez is saying that the current cars need 7 seconds gap to be in effectively clear air, a larger more easily stalled front wing will not likely reduce this gap.
End result, likely not much in the way of a change. Too bad, another opportunity squandered."

Should, could... but won't

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