Following straight defeats to Ferrari and Charles Leclerc, Mercedes want a return to winning ways at the Singapore Grand Prix.
The high-speed circuits of Spa and Monza played perfectly to the strengths of the Scuderia with two excellent performances from the Monegasque resulting in the best seven days of his first season in red.
However, he was pushed all the way by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas on both occasions, something that pleased Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
“We came back from the summer break knowing that the first two races would be difficult for us,” the Austrian said in his preview ahead of this weekend’s race.
“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.”
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In fact, losses in Belgium and Italy mark Mercedes’ longest losing streak since Austin and Mexico last year, while a third straight loss at Marina Bay would be the first time that has happened since the first three rounds of last season.
The team though has won four of the past five years on the street circuit, even if the high temperatures and emphasis on downforce hasn’t always played to their strengths.
“The next race takes us to Singapore, a spectacular night race set and a great showcase for our sport,” Wolff stated.
“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.
“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,” he added.
“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.”
