Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believe🦄s reliability will play a “fundamental p♕art” 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 Aಞustrian 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 hav𝄹e raced in six months, while cars have not been run competitively since pre-season ♛testing concluded in Barcelona at the end of February.

Mercedes was thwarted by a number of engine-related issues throughout winter testing but was 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 co𒉰ronavirus in the paddock.

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

"First of all this new calendar and the coronavirus throws some new challenges at us,” Wolf🅺f said. “I think reliability is going to be a fundamental part of the opening races.

“The cars have come out of the container straight fr𒆙om Australia. There is not a lot of time for them on the dynos. We will be using ever💯y session to learn.

“The 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 wiꦯll win the championship.”

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

“Last ye♐ar’s Ferrari power ꦉunit was much 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 pessimistic side – we need to catch up, we need to come out with a reliab🐼le and powerful and drivable engine and I hope it’s enough.

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