While Red Bull continue to bring new parts to their car, Mercedes have more or less stopped. This is a decision based on three significant rules situations.
One is the introduction of a budget cap for this season - teams have a maximum of $145m (£114m) to spend over the year, reducing to $140m in 2022 and $135m in 2023.
The second is the new rules for 2022, which introduce a completely new concept of car design in the hope of improving the racing.
And the third is the sliding scale of restrictions on permitted development, with the most successful teams allowed the least research and development and the least successful the most.
Wolff describes the decision to focus on 2022 as "very tricky" but also "rational".
"We have new regulations not only for next year but also the years to come," he said, "and a completely different car concept, and you've got to choose the right balance and pretty much everyone will be [working] on next year's car.
"Some may still bring stuff - I mean Red Bull brought vans with new parts Thursday and Friday and, fair enough, it's a strategy. One that proves to be successful as it stands because today they were simply in a league of their own, car pace-wise.
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If Mercedes are already focusing on their 2022 design, having decided that to work on this year's car would compromise next year too much, what does that say about the way Red Bull are balancing the two seasons?
This is the first time in eight years in which they have had a chance of the title. Have they decided to go all out this year at the cost of 2022?
Horner said: "I can't believe they will go through this year without putting a single component on their car. All we can do is focus on our job. Of course it is a balancing act between this year and next year, but if that means we all have to work bit harder, then the team is fully up for it."
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And there is a more immediate question for Mercedes. There will be a few more small updates to the car down the line, it is understood, but nothing like the amount Red Bull have brought to the last two or three races. So have they effectively already accepted their fate in 2021?
Wolff said: "They [Red Bull] will stop aero development at a certain stage because it would be dangerous to lose out for next year's championship. The fight is still full-on.