With the 2021 season heading into the second half, and the remaining races for the current regulation cycle dwindling away, Mercedes have put a stop to any further development of the W12. Despite the ongoing championship fight with Red Bull, it appears Mercedes have taken the decision not to risk any further compromise to the 2022 season and the introduction of a raft of huge technical changes. "No, until the end of the year we don't come up with aerodynamic updates," team boss Toto Wolff told Italy's Autosprint. "We have stopped the development of our current car for months. The last update we finished in the spring was used at the British Grand Prix. Those changes have worked out well, improving our performance. "We have made a step forward and we have confidence in the second part of the season." Mercedes did bring along a surprise upgrade package for Silverstone, having previously said during the Austrian double header that no further updates to the W12 were coming. With Red Bull hinting that they do not intend to stop developing the RB16B in their bid to win their first title since 2013, Wolff said that his team's decision-making won't be swayed by what Red Bull choose to do. "There is an important battle, but you have to always look at the short- and long-term and try to find the balance," he said. "The regulations from next year are going to have a very big impact and that regulation is going to count for longer than just a championship. That's a factor that should not be forgotten. If you're behind next season, it could take a very long time to close the gap on the competition. "That is why we are sticking to our chosen strategy to continue development [for] next year. We will never change our strategy due to external factors or those of other teams."
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