Toto Wolff has reiterated comments he made earlier in the season that neither driver will be favoured whilst both are in contention for the title, of which both are capable of winning according to the Austrian.
Mercedes has now emerged as Red Bull’s closest rival for both titles after it leapfrogged Ferrari in the Constructors’, whilst Nico Rosberg has won two of the last three races.
Wolff however isn’t going to throw his weight behind one driver yet, despite Rosberg outscoring Lewis Hamilton by 20 points in the last three races.
“We have no number one driver because that is not Mercedes’, nor the team’s, policy,” he told the official F1 website.
“We have two drivers who are pushing themselves to the limit, so we would never give anyone number one status – unless at the end of the season one of our drivers is capable of winning the championship, but not the other. But we are far away from this.
“Both of them are capable [of winning the title]. They are so different in their approach – and yet so brilliant. Lewis’ instinct-driven skills or Nico’s talent and work-driven skills – in the end, it boils down to the same lap time.”
Wolff believes Mercedes “now has the quickest car on the grid”, but he is refusing to rule out Ferrari and Lotus beating the team in the Constructors’.
“In general, we look much better on Saturdays, but you must never underestimate Ferrari or Lotus. True, when it is cold they are not performing so well, but wait until the hotter races – then we could be struggling again….”
