Mercedes taking nothing for granted in Singapore

Toto Wolff insists Mercedes are taking nothing for granted at this weekend’s race in Singapore as they look to bounce back from losses in Belgium and Italy, even though they have won four out of the past five races at Marina Bay.

After the summer break, Ferrari came out flying, with Charles Leclerc winning at Spa and then Monza - the team’s first victories of the campaign.

The Silver Arrows were without a win at Singapore from 2010 to 2013, only for them to get to grips with the track to win every race thereafter apart from in 2015.

Wolff is looking forward to the opportunity for Mercedes to redeem themselves after two losses, but doesn’t think a victory is a foregone conclusion for anyone.

"We came back from the summer break knowing that the first two races would be difficult for us," the Austrian said in his pre-race preview.

"We ended up with two double podiums and 67 points which was a strong form of damage limitation and more than we expected.

"However, you could tell in the debriefs that Spa and Monza left us not satisfied and everyone in Brixworth and Brackley is pushing hard for more victories.

"For a long time, Singapore used to be one of our weakest tracks, but we've made some inroads into that and performed well last year.

"However, there are no home runs at a track like Singapore: we need to understand this car and this year's tyres on a very particular track layout and take absolutely nothing for granted in our approach to the weekend.

"We are looking forward to a tough battle under the lights in Singapore."

Even though it can be a challenging climate and location, Wolff reckons the Marina Bay Circuit provides an excellent stage for F1.

"The next race takes us to Singapore, a spectacular night race set and a great showcase for our sport," he explained. "The offset schedule and the climate make it a demanding weekend for the team; temperatures in the garage can easily reach 40 degrees Celsius or more with high humidity levels as well.

"It's a tough environment to work in and it's equally challenging for the drivers and the car itself.”

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