After taking their first win of the season with Lewis Hamilton at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is thrilled that they are in a tight fight with their rivals at Ferrari with the score now one apiece as they head into the third round of the championship, the Bahrain GP this coming weekend.
Lewis took pole and led the early laps in the season opening Australian Grand Prix, however the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel proved to be just that bit too strong over the course of the 57 lap event and Lewis being unable to pass the Red Bull of Max Verstappen also played into Vettel's hands.
But now, as first practice around the Bahrain International Circuit looms ever closer, Wolff can't wait for he expects to be another close on track battle….
"China was a great way to hit back in the battle with Ferrari. We are very close on pace and I expect a bit of a ping-pong battle through the season, depending on the track. That's exciting for everyone,” Toto said. “What we have in 2017 is the perfect situation for the fans and also for us as a team. We are all racers and we are all properly excited for this fight."
"Two races into the season and now it is 1:1 between Mercedes and Ferrari. And after racing on a very different circuit, in very different conditions, it's clear that we are very closely matched - and that small margins will make the difference. Our one point lead in the constructors' championship is anything but a comfortable margin. We need to - and we will - keep working with everything we have got to develop our car, correct our errors and continue improving."
"Our mindset is that of the underdog - not the Champion. And the fight has just begun..."
