Though the RP20 is under protest from Renault, in locking-out the second row of the grid last weekend in Hungary, Racing Point qualified ahead of Red Bull and Ferrari.

With the budget cap coming in next season and a whole raft of regulation changes in 2022, F1 is seeking to level the playing field, or at least make it possible for teams outside the 'big three' to challenge for points, poles even wins.

However, Wolff insists that the way Racing Point has gone about things has proven that some of the complaints from rival teams are unjustified.

"They seem to have re-engineered our car," he said, "they have bought non-listed parts from us last year and they are just doing a good job.

"I think like Nikolas Tombazis has formulated it," he continued, referring to the FIA's head of single-seater matters, "it is less of a technical discussion and more of a philosophical discussion.

"It is about whether the smaller teams should be allowed to be supplied parts by the bigger teams for less R&D and the bigger teams to make some business out of it or should everyone develop their own chassis and R&D, which as a consequence would probably mean there is a two-tier society even with a cost cap.

"All the complaining we heard last year that the smaller teams are never able to compete for pole positions, for podiums and race wins is being, how do you say, shown it's absurd because Racing Point is right up there, faster in some corners than we are and it's a good challenge to see that.

"I have no doubt that Racing Point will be a hard nut to crack on some of the circuits for us as well," he admitted.

"So, take the right decisions and deploy your resources where you think they are well deployed and I think you can have a quick car.

"I am happy there is a process in place that will clarify those regulations and make it transparent for all stakeholders, what the FIA and FOM wish to happen in the future, and then we move on from that."

At Ferrari however, Mattia Binotto does not agree.

"I think the regulations are pretty clear," he said of the ongoing protest of the RP20s, "and I'm pretty sure the FIA will be in the position to make the right, proper judgement and that's left to them.

"On what should be the future during the COVID period, during the discussions as Ferrari we brought at least as a proposal to consider customer... the big teams, as we've eventually got in MotoGP for example, but that proposal was pushed back by the entirety of, let me say, the teams and F1 and the FIA, which we fully understand.

"I think that has been a decision we all took together," he continued. "We decided that each single team should be independent, they should be capable of doing their own proper developments, I think they have the means now with the new Concorde Agreement and the regulations are sufficiently clear to do that. So yes, it will be great to have ten teams, ten different cars certainly on the grid.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by PGS, 25/07/2020 11:18

"@aroutis, for the 10 millionth time, Toto's shares are with AML which is the car company. They are not with Racing Point, which will become Aston Martin next year in F1. They are two separate entities. It's not too difficult to understand, surely."

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2. Posted by aroutis, 25/07/2020 5:51

"Oh sheesh Toto, with your interests vested in Aston Martin, of course you'll these. And of course you'll help the pink cars via Mercedes to get in front. And surely you'll be happy ,specially if next year, by some "miracle" you'll end up in Aston Martin.
The hypocrisy of that man. Revolting."

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3. Posted by zoom, 25/07/2020 1:16

"I've just spent a couple of minutes trying to understand what Binotto is saying in the next to the last paragraph. My brain now hurts. Apparently, Ferrari speaks as poorly as they design cars. What exactly is he saying?
"

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4. Posted by meatball, 23/07/2020 17:19

"Of course Ferrari have an opinion, but didn't they do almost the same thing with Haas a few years ago? Haas came out of the box swinging and then crapped the bed. Everyone complained that Haas bought a Ferrari design and then forgot about it after their 2nd/3rd season... "

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5. Posted by USA1, 23/07/2020 15:30

"People that invest money in this probably had a inside look and know exactly what’s coming, correct Toto!"

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6. Posted by Lapps, 23/07/2020 15:02

"Come on Toto! surely all that Racing Point has proved is that you need a Mercedes to be at the front, no matter what colour it is. "

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Midfield complaints "absurd", says Wolff

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