Wolff: Stay grounded
Team boss wants Mercedes to be at their best
MERCEDES boss Toto Wolff does not want to get carried away as his team prepare for the final Petronas Malaysia Formula 1 Grand Prix race at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend.
Their star driver, Lewis Hamilton, will start with a 28-point advantage following three straight wins in the last three rounds – in Belgium, Italy and Singapore.
The Briton leads with 263 points while Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel of Germany is second with 235 points. Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas of Finland is third with 212 points.
Mercedes are also leading the constructors’ standings by a whopping 102 points. Mercedes have 475 points to Ferrari’s 373. But Wolff knows how fast things can change as he referred to last year’s Sepang race where Hamilton’s engine failure saw the Briton lose his world title to teammate Nico Rosberg.
Hamilton retired with 16 laps to go after his engine blew up while leading the race.
“Last year’s race is a strong reminder that sport always has the power to surprise and defy all predictions.
“We have been on the receiving end of those bad moments before. We know it can happen as easily to us as anybody else.
“The results in Singapore two weeks ago does not change anything in terms of how we approach the final six races, beginning with Malaysia here.
“We will need to be at the top of our game at every track if we want to maintain our lead in both championships until the end of the season,” said Wolff, adding that Mercedes hoped to put up a great show for their Malaysian sponsor, Petronas.
“This will be a weekend with great resonance for us, we have a very close relationship with the country, thanks to our friends at Petronas.
“The Malaysia GP has given us many moments of drama and glory over the years.
“Our record here in recent seasons has been mixed but the fundamental characteristics of the track, with its sweeping corners and long straights, means the car is well-suited to the circuit.”