Wolff: Cohesion helping Mercedes

Editor

Despite again being embroiled in a two-driver fight for the title, Toto Wolff believes Mercedes will remain "calm" and "focused" as they've done it all before.

Once again the dominant team out on track, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are holding down the 1-2 in the Drivers' standings on 202 and 181 points respectively.

It is a similar story to last season which ended with Hamilton beating his team-mate to the World title.

However, this time around Mercedes motorsport boss Wolff says there is more cohesion within the Formula 1 team.

"We've been working with each other for another year," he explained to Autosport.

"And we've gone through the experience of having a competitive car good enough to win races and championships.

"We've adapted to one another and the drivers have become accustomed to one another in a competitive situation, and you learn and discuss a lot.

"There is also a lot of communication within the team, and we have a culture of ruthlessly exploring our weaknesses and mistakes without blaming, without pointing fingers at one another.

"Working together – combined with the title – has given us a calm, focused approach, knowing our strengths, knowing we will not be without weaknesses, and continuously working on that."

He added: "We haven't lost our eagerness, our competitiveness.

"We won the championship last year and we are so eager to do it again that our approach and mentality has not changed a lot."

Wolff also weighed in on the criticism Mercedes have encountered due to their incredible form.

He not only insists that Formula 1 has witnessed more dominant displays in the past but adds the the team won't let it get to them.

"Sometimes it makes you wonder, but it's normal and it was to be expected.

"It's down to your attitude, but we've seen in the past when teams have gained the upper hand they have then been criticised.

"But it needs to be put into context because someone told me recently that when Michael [Schumacher] was racing for Ferrari he went and won one of his titles in Hungary, so that's dominance.

"It's OK people talk and criticise. We just have to get on with our job and do our talking on the circuit."