Nico Rosberg says Mercedes is not panicking despite being unable to show it is the team to beat at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Mercedes struggled in Singapore and was comfortably beaten by both Ferrari and Red Bull, but is confident it has learned from those problems ahead of the race at Suzuka. However, with Friday practice taking place in wet conditions, Mercedes was beaten by Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat on both occasions.
While Rosberg admits dry running would have helped show Mercedes' true pace, he says the team is confident it will be quick throughout the weekend.
"I guess yes it would have been important, but then again we are confident because it’s the same car that has won all those races prior to Singapore and we haven’t changed anything," Rosberg said. "We still think we are looking good and we are going to be quick and we are not panicking or anything.
"It will be a challenge for everyone tomorrow because it’s just one hour to prepare in the dry for everything - let’s see if it’s dry because we don’t even know that – and that’s to prepare for everything in qualifying and the race, so it will be intense."
Rosberg - who ran his upgraded engine which he'd had to replace in Monza throughout the day - says Kvyat's pace was genuinely quicker than Mercedes in Friday's conditions.
When it was suggested observers cannot read too much in to Friday's times, Rosberg replied: "Yes, we can.
"[Kvyat] was quick and the times are pretty much representative ... At the moment [Red Bull is close], but the wet is a different world of course."
REPORT: Kvyat edges Rosberg in wet FP2 at Suzuka
AS IT HAPPENED: Japanese Grand Prix FP2
Click here for the F1 drivers' girlfriends gallery
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
