Mercedes joined Ferrari in "threatening to quit" Formula 1 after the '20 season, according to GMM. Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne said that if Liberty Media proceeds with its plans for the '21 engine rules and budget cap, the Italian team "could withdraw and race elsewhere." Mercedes Motorsport Dir Toto Wolff admitted "he is not happy" following one year of Liberty leadership. When asked by German newspaper Kronen Zeitung to point out a "Liberty-inspired highlight" of '17, Wolff said, "Nothing. Doing erratic actions like Michael Buffer in Austin does not make the sport any better." When told that Liberty "just wants closer racing, a better engine and cost controls," Wolff "scoffed." When asked if Mercedes could join Ferrari in its threat to quit F1, Wolff did not "back down." He said, "Such a scenario is quite conceivable. Just as it is for Ferrari. If we do not see what Formula 1 stands for, then we have to ask ourselves the difficult question: not if but where do we want to operate in motorsport at the highest level?" (AUTOWEEK, 11/29).
