Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes the German outfit has greatly improved its understanding of its car following the Asian leg of the world championship.
While Lewis Hamilton has built himself a comfortable 59-point lead in the drivers' standings, winning four of the five last races, Mercedes has struggled to understand the inconsistent performance of its 'diva ' car as it was labeled by Wolff.
The team's has improved its knowledge of its 2017 charger recently and aims to apply what it has learned in the upcoming races, starting next weekend in Austin.
"Since we began the final flyaway leg of the season, we have seen a strong points swing in our favour in both championships," says Wolff in Mercedes US GP preview.
"Good fortune has played its part, of course - and we have put ourselves in the right position to make the most of the opportunities that have come our way.
"But nobody within the team is allowing those good results to disguise the challenges we have faced.
"We returned from those races with a lot more understanding of our car and of the reasons for the performance swings we have experienced this season.
"Some of that understanding is already being applied to the final races, some of it will flow into next year's project.
"But the bitter taste of our defeat in Malaysia once again confirmed that the tough days are the ones when you learn most - and when you lay the foundations for future success."
Despite Hamilton's advantage in a title which could possibly win as soon as next weekend, Mercedes remains focused on the road ahead and isn't taking anything for grandted.
"Still four races to go and 100 points to score: we can take nothing for granted as we fly to Austin this week," Wolff adds.
"We approach every race with a healthy dose of scepticism rather than wishful thinking, and our focus must be on making sure we score every point within our reach this weekend in Austin. "
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