Wolff not allowing complacency to creep in at Mercedes

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As it heads to Malaysia, Mercedes should not "misjudge its level of performance" after its surprise win in Singapore, insists Toto Wolff.

The German team and Lewis Hamilton turned the tables on Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel thanks to a dominant performance around the Marina Bay street circuit, helped in no small part to the Scuderia's first lap blunder.

Wolff warns however that the team's outstanding result in Singapore should not necessarily be considered a sign of things to come.

"The result in Singapore came as a surprise for us all, and the danger of a result like that is to misjudge your own level of performance," Wolff said.

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"But within the team, our focus since finishing first and third has been on the painful moments of the Singapore weekend, why we struggled in the long runs on Friday and our lack of performance over one lap in qualifying, to learn as much as possible for the rest of the season."

Mercedes will only continue its momentum if it has indeed succeeded in mastering the weaknesses which prevailed in Singapore before Sunday's race.

"We have deepened our understanding of those problems and we will take that learning with us into the final races.

"The last race was a strong reminder that sport always has the power to surprise and defy all predictions.

"We have been on the receiving end of those bad moments before, and we know that they can happen as easily to us as anybody else.

"The result in Singapore doesn't change anything in terms of how we approach the final six races, beginning this weekend in Malaysia.

"We will need to be at the top of our game on every track if we want to maintain our lead in both championships to the end of the season."

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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.