Mercedes still holding back on team orders

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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says he still won't designate Valtteri Bottas as the team's clear n°2 behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton clinched his seventh win of the season in Singapore and has drifted comfortably ahead of Sebastian Vettel in the title fight.

Bottas, who has won twice this season, has lagged his team mate lately in terms of relative performance. Yet the German outfit isn't putting its full weight behind Hamilton, at least not yet.

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"I think it's clear that Lewis' chances of winning the championship are higher than Valtteri's," said Toto Wolff.

"As before, we will assess the situation, but the situation becomes clearer after every race.

"I don't want to say that one driver is the number 1, because it could affect the motivation of the second ... I mean the other, driver."

Bottas countryman and F1 commentator Mika Salo is at a loss to explain why the Finn has lost ground on his team mate.

"Yeah, Valtteri has been a bit lost," said Salo,Finnish broadcaster MTV.

"It's difficult to know the reasons -- maybe it's just been hard for him to set up the car. Or maybe it's starting to show that Hamilton is more familiar with the car concept," he added.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.