Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has hinted that his outfit could be open to a closer relationship with Racing Point once more is known about the 2021 Formula 1 rules.
Racing Point – formerly Force India – already uses Mercedes' powertrain and recently signed a deal to begin using the team's windtunnel facilities, moving away from Toyota's tunnel in Cologne, Germany.
Although Racing Point's technical boss Andrew Green said this was purely for "efficiency reasons", it has prompted some talks that the team might be looking to cosy up to Mercedes in a similar fashion to Haas and Ferrari.
Wolff initially denied that to be the case – though insists he sees no problem with such a relationship – but suggested they could become closer post-2020 when F1 will introduce a new raft of rules aimed at reducing budgets and creating a more level playing field.
"First of all, we are not doing a Haas-Ferrari model because Haas was a new entry, a team created from scratch," said Wolff. "These guys have existed for a long time.
"I don’t see what’s so bad in a Haas-Ferrari model actually. We have enabled somebody that was keen to enter Formula 1 in setting up a team, with the cooperation with Ferrari it got out of the blocks really well, and fights solidly in the midfield. I think that’s good for Formula 1.
"Our model is very different. For the reasons stated before, Andy and his team know pretty well what they want to achieve with the car, they have a solid technical group of people and will go in that direction.
"They will be using some of our infrastructure and we will see where that moves for the 2021 regulations.
"Once these are carved out, we will decide which of the areas we want to collaborate and where it is possible, regulatory-wise."
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