Wolff admits F1 standings flatter Mercedes

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admits that the Formula 1 standings do not accurately reflect the state of play on the grid. Successive one-two finishes have put the reigning champions top of the constructors' championship, with Valtteri Bottas leading the drivers' standings.

Although Ferrari were off-colour in Australia, they ought to have secured a dominant result in Bahrain, only for Charles Leclerc's engine to fail from the lead, after Sebastian Vettel had spun out of contention.

Mercedes overcame an early Ferrari lead in both championships last year to win, but Wolff says the Silver Arrows do not see themselves as F1's best team, heading to a Chinese GP in which Ferrari are once again expected to be quickest.

"Two races into the 2019 season, it may seem like we're in a strong position," Wolff said. "We have 87 points, just one below the maximum score. But the constructors' standings do not tell the full story.

"The truth is that we weren't as quick as our direct competitors throughout qualifying and the race in Bahrain.

"The Ferrari was considerably faster on the straights and this added up to several tenths around one lap.

"Nevertheless, the saying goes that "in order to finish first, first you have to finish" and the combination of solid performances from the team, reliability of our systems and a strong drive from our drivers secured us the one-two. "The challenge we are facing doesn't daunt us - it's uplifting.

"We will keep pushing to extract the maximum performance from our package to deliver the best race we can.

"We will try and exert pressure, maximise our opportunities and keep working hard to develop our overall package. We've seen exciting races so far this season and we're looking forward to the next fight in Shanghai."

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