Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff admits he would "probably" decide to use team orders if it meant Lewis Hamilton winning the championship this weekend in Austin.
The Briton needs to score eight more points than nearest challenger Sebastian Vettel and that task appears to have gotten easier with the German hit with a three-place grid drop after practice on Friday.
While Hamilton also dominated in the wet conditions at the Circuit of the Americas, should the situation arise where a repeat of Sochi was required, the Austrian concedes the call would likely be made.
“We have been discussing that and struggling so much with the decision,” Wolff said. “Eventually when it comes on Sunday, I probably would go for the points but in my heart I hate it. Let’s see how Sunday goes.
“We were discussing 2007 and when the championship was lost with two races to go with a few points and it is really just a full concentration every single day and if the points are enough then we are lucky and we will have a big celebration.
“If not, then we go to the next race and we push very hard.”
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On top of the penalty, Ferrari's weakness in the wet is also showing through with Red Bull ahead in the more representative first session, however, the Mercedes boss is not counting out the Scuderia with a dry race expected.
Also, catching Wolff's attention is the continued upgrades the Italian team has brought with a new floor among the changes in the United States.
“It is quite interesting actually because it means they are still pushing with this year’s development,” he said.
“I guess that most of the teams have switched off and are doing next year’s development."
