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This was the warning made by David Richards, the chairman of UK motor racing’s governing body, who said Mercedes could struggle with logistics if a no deal Brexit becomes a reality. The German manufacturer has won every constructor’s championship since 2014 – with Lewis Hamilton winning the driver’s world championship in all but one of those years. But with F1 being a sport reliant on moving parts and large teams across Europe and around the world – Mr Richards once feared no deal Brexit could make this impossible. He said 2019: “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?

“Could it also lead to satellite operations in Europe with some teams moving there? It is a big infrastructure to move, so it won’t be straightforward. It’s not going to make life for a Formula One team based in England any easier.”

Mr Richards, who used to run the Benetton and BAR teams, also said that the sport’s European season will pose a major challenge under the terms of a no deal scenario.

He added: “I have been surprised that the teams haven’t been overly-concerned about it.

“For some months now, Toto Wolff is the only person that has been very clear on the problems.

“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.”

The Mercedes team is based in Brackley, Northamptonshire, and Mr Richards indicated that Mercedes might have to consider relocating their F1 operation, which employs more than 1,000 staff.

Boris Johnson’s negotiation team are still in talks with the EU over a trade deal – but progress has been limited thus far.

And Hamilton revealed in 2016 how he wasn’t a fan of Brexit.

He said 2016 had been a difficult year for him, citing Brexit, Donald Trump’s election as US President and personal loss as reasons.

He said in November that year: “I think 2016’s been a pretty terrible year for the world, really.

“You’ve got Brexit, you’ve got [Donald] Trump getting the presidency.

“And then I’ve had a close friend pass away and I’ve had all the different experiences this year. So it’s not really been a spectacular year.

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“But the best thing to do at the end of every year is to try to take the good things out of it, because there are always good things, and take that on with you and leave the junk behind.”

Mercedes team principal – Toto Wolff – also described Brexit as a “nightmare scenario” for his team.

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