Brexit ‘mother of all messes’ for British F1 teams says Mercedes boss

Montmeló (Spain) (AFP) – Toto Wolff, the Mercedes Formula 1 CEO, said on Monday Brexit could do untold damage to the F1 industry in the UK, calling it “the mother of all messes”.

The Mercedes team is based in Northamptonshire, while Red Bull — whose their Team Principal Christian Horner on Monday said “life ultimately will go on” regardless of how the United Kingdom leaves the European Union — is based in Milton Keynes.

“Brexit is a major concern for all of us that live in the UK and operate out of the UK,” Wolff said at Montmelo where Formula 1 pre-season testing began on Monday.

“Formula 1 teams travel to races at least 21 times a year, we are moving in and out of the UK, our people move in and out of the UK,” he added, in reference to customs delays that could be incurred by Brexit.

Austrian Wolff, who is a former racing driver, was also concerned about customs for motor parts.

“The way we get parts and services is just in time at the last minute … taxes would massively damage the Formula 1 industry in the UK,” Wolff said.

Visa and right to work concerns were also high on Wolff’s worry list, thanks to the “26 nationalities in our team”.

Wolff said there were no doubts in his mend that “no-deal Brexit or Brexit” would be “damaging to what for me is one of the outstanding industries in the UK”.

He explained: “Formula 1 feels like very much exposed to the decisions that could be made at a political level and it is a risk for our people and a risk for our industry.”

– Life goes on –

Meanwhile Red Bull Team Principal Horner played down the drama, insisting that he and his team would adapt to any potential changes.

“Whether there is no deal, any deal, life ultimately will go on. I think it’s important that we get to conclusion sooner rather than later to get rid of all the uncertainty because it is unsettling,” said the 45-year-old Briton.

Horner said that in fact nobody really understood Brexit.

“Every time you turn the television on at the moment you’ve got somebody talking about hard Brexit or soft Brexit, the back stop, whatever it is,” he said before tuning his ire on his rival Wolff.

“You complain to doomsday scenario of Brexit or you can actually maybe see how much it is going to affect our daily lives. I don’t think any of us can actually answer that question,” he said.