’Brexit’ could cause Mercedes to quit formula one.
That is the alarming claim of David Richards, a former F1 team boss who is now chairman of Motorsport UK.
Speaking to Press Association Sport, he was referring to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s warning this week that a ’no deal’ Brexit could spell havoc for F1’s UK-based teams.
"Looking at the investment that Mercedes have in Brackley, and the infrastructure that is already in place there, could a no deal Brexit precipitate them stopping in formula one?" he asked.
"It’s not going to make life for a formula one team based in England any easier."
Richards said he is "surprised" that other UK-based team bosses have not joined Wolff in sounding the alarm about Britain’s impending withdrawal from the European Union.
"For some months now, Toto Wolff is the only person that has been very clear on the problems," he said.
"Transport in and out of the country between the European rounds will be a major headache.
"If we get a no deal Brexit, the early part of the season is going to be very challenging for all the teams, and I don’t think some of them have fully considered that yet," Richards added.