Mercedes Formula 1 team will enter Russian Grand Prix with 40 points lead over their title contending team Ferrari. However, the former takes “no comfort” and will be heading for more competitive races.
Lewis Hamilton aced three out of the last four races, while Sebastian Vettel was hit with mishaps. Both teams are left with six races and 150 points to mark their victory.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes boss, said: “It is better to have a lead than not, but there are plenty of points to score.
“There is no naive optimism about our situation with the team.”
Wolff said that his team was “excited for the fight” and it will certainly reflect in their pursuit for the victory in the next six races. He insisted that Mercedes would “continue to concentrate on every single session, trying to optimise the car in every possible area – and we will go for the race win”.
Mercedes have dominated the Sochi Autodrom, where the team had remained victorious in all races but Wolff remained humble about it.
“We have a good track record in Sochi but we know that Ferrari and Red Bull will give it everything to break our winning streak, so we must fight as hard as ever to make are we bring home as many points as possible.”
The Russian Grand Prix has been given its original slot of the year.
“With the race being held in September, we’re going back to weather conditions that will be similar to those of 2014 and 2015, when the Russian Grand Prix took place in early October,” Wolff said. “We don’t have any data from the current regulation cars in those conditions in Sochi, so this adds another challenge to the race.”
Bottas ‘has every ingredient to win’
Wolff supported the Finn who won in Russia last year for Mercedes.
Wolff said: “For every racing driver, that’s a very difficult situation to be in because everything you dream about and everything you work for is winning the world championship.
“When you realise you’re not in the hunt any more, that’s very difficult to handle.
“But Valtteri has shown that he has the speed, the talent and the work ethic to win in a Mercedes.
“He has always been a team player and that is one of his greatest character traits.
“Valtteri could have won races this year, but the odds were against him. However luck isn’t just a one-way street; and I know that Valtteri has every ingredient it needs to win at this level. He just needs to keep working hard to improve and trust that the tables will turn for him.”
