Mercedes stronger for Singapore struggles - Wolff

Toto Wolff insists Mercedes was not misled by its victory in Singapore and has learned from the lack of pace it showed for the majority of the race weekend.

Mercedes went into the Singapore Grand Prix expected a difficult race having struggled at the circuit in the past and been off the pace in Friday practice and qualifying. With Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas starting from the third row, the team took advantage of wet conditions and a first-lap crash involving Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen to register an unexpected victory with Hamilton, while Bottas finished third.

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"The result in Singapore came as a surprise for us all – and the danger of a result like that is to misjudge your own level of performance," Wolff said. "But within the team, our focus since finishing first and third has been on the painful moments of the Singapore weekend – why we struggled in the long runs on Friday and our lack of performance over one lap in qualifying – to learn as much as possible for the rest of the season. We have deepened our understanding of those problems and we will take that learning with us into the final races."

While Hamilton's victory extended his championship lead to 28 points over Vettel – more than a race victory – Wolff says the dramatic start to the race highlights how quickly the situation can change.

"The last race was 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, and we know that they can happen as easily to us as anybody else.

"The result in Singapore doesn't change anything in terms of how we approach the final six races, beginning this weekend in Malaysia. We will need to be at the top of our game on every track if we want to maintain our lead in both championships to the end of the season."

With the next race being the final grand prix in Malaysia – home of Mercedes title sponsor Petronas – Wolff is optimistic his team will be more competitive at Sepang.

"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, and the race has given us many moments of drama and glory over the years.

"Our record there in recent seasons has been mixed but the fundamental characteristics of the circuit, with its sweeping corners and long straights, should mean the car is well-suited to the circuit."