Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believ𝔉es reliability wꦯill play a “fundamental part” in determining the early races of the 2020 Formula 1 season.

Following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, F1 will restart with the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5, which kicks off a run of two triple-header events ꧂and a total of eight European-based races in just 10 weeks.

It will mark the first time F1 drivers will have raced in six months, while cars have not been run competi꧂tively since pre-season testin🎀g concluded in Barcelona at the end of February.

Mercedes was thwarted by a number of engine-related issues th☂roughout winter testing but w🌞as confident it had got on top of the problem by the Australian Grand Prix, which was cancelled at the last-minute due to an outbreak of coronavirus in the paddock.

The German manufacturer’s performance has been compromised at the Red Bull Riꦕng - which will play host to the first two races of the revised 2020 season - due to cooling issues with its package, while it suffered a rare double retirement in Spielberg in 2018.

"First of all this new calend♉ar and the coronavirus throws some new challenges at us,” Wolff said. “I think reliability is going to be a ﷽fundamental part of the opening races.

“The cars have come out of the container s🍒traight from Australia. There is not a lot of time for them on the dynos. We will be using every session to learn.

“Theꦇ reduced race calendar is a challenge for everybody and again, I think that the team that has the quickest car and the most reliable package will win the cha⛄mpionship.”

Mercedes fell behind rivals Ferrari in terms of engine performance last season and Wolff reckons there will be little difference between ಞall the power unit manufacturers 🅷this year due to expected further convergence amid stable regulations.

“Last year’s Ferrari power unit was mꩲuch more powerful, but we haven’t seen 🌄it yet,” Wolff explained.

🍷“Only in a qualifying session and the race is everyone really going to show their hand, and we haven🧜’t seen that.

“I’m obviously always on the pessim﷽istꦕic side – we need to catch up, we need to come out with a reliable and powerful and drivable engine and I hope it’s enough.

“But I also wouldn’t discount Honda and Renault, I think 🦩pretty much eve🌄ry single power unit supplier is pretty much on par now.”