Formula 1 teams risk relinquishing half a second of lap time if they do not split their resources correctly across the next 12 months, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Formula 1 is introducing overhauled sporting and technical regulations next year, alongside a cost cap that will limit spending.
It means teams will need to balance developmental work on this year’s cars without compromising their efforts on next season’s challengers.
“This year’s championship is a two-year-championship,” said Wolff.
“It is not only about 2020 under the current regulations, but there is such a massive regulatory change for 2021 that balancing your allocation of resource will be crucial.
“[You need to assess] how much of your resource you are switching into the 2021 car, because obviously the learning and development slope is much steeper at the beginning.
“If you get it wrong and you are a month behind, you are half a second behind. This is a challenge that we have embraced in the past and we love that.”
Mercedes has won the last six Constructors’ Championships – equalling Ferrari’s 1999-2004 streak – and Wolff insists no-one within its organisation is taking anything for granted.
“I don’t see a lack of motivation and purpose within the organisation,” Wolff emphasised.
“The pain of losing is so much more intense and lasts so much longer than enjoying winning.
“This is in a way what drives us strongly and the sheer thought about losing makes you forget about all your previous achievements.
“Last year’s record doesn’t buy us any credit for the 2020 championship.
“So, all lap times, all points go to zero and we are yet again in front of another challenge and in a way there is a reason why six was a world record because it is bloody difficult.”
