Mercedes director Toto Wolff fully expects the competitive advantage to switch between his drivers over the course of the season.
Whilst Nico Rosberg currently has the lead in the championship thanks to a win and three second places, team-mate Lewis Hamilton is catching up after three consecutive victories.
The racing between the pair has been close on just one occasion though, in Bahrain. In both Malaysia and China, Hamilton has dominated his team-mate comfortably. Whilst in Australia he failed to complete more than a few laps due to an engine issue.
Wolff however believes Rosberg’s different approach may pay dividends at other races during the year and vice versa.
“The very exciting bit for myself and for us is that we see how different they are in their approach but how close the racing pans out on Sunday,” Wolff said.
“It’s always very dangerous to hype one and talk the other down, and this is going to be a constant battle through the season. One is going to have the edge at one time and that is going to be changing quite quickly, which could be because of the approach.
“This is what makes it so exciting for us and keeps pushing the level up.”
On the subject of team orders, the Austrian remains undecided despite earlier declaring Mercedes wouldn’t use them.
“It was easier to take a decision for the sake of racing [in Bahrain] because we knew we would have a margin to the next guy. The more narrow that margin gets, the more you have to look out for competitors.”
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