Mixed results for Mercedes may be in the future - Wolff

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff  believes  that  while  today's China GP offered another dominant race win for the German squad,  Lewis Hamilton's difficult afternoon has led to some mixed feelings overall.

Wolff praised Rosberg 's impeccable performance, but still remains cautious on his general outlook given the uncertainties which can always creep into the mix.

"I think we obviously have to get used to mixed, bitter-sweet days," Wolff said.

"Nico was faultless, the start was good and then obviously the Ferraris created a bit of agap to him and then he just drove it home."

Wollf explained more in detail the mechanical troubles which afflicted reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton.

"He became a victim of the tangling between the Ferraris. He got hit hard by a Sauber, the front wing became undone and on the following straight got stuck under the floor and damaged it and the leading edge.

"We lost a huge amount of downforce through a couple of corners which made the car very light at the front which gave him the feeling that the car was even more damaged.

"We were so much down on aero that the car must have felt very difficult to drive and as a consequence the tyres wouldn’t last either and this is what compromised the whole race.

"We then tried to figure out a strategy that could help him make it back up to p4 or p5 max but he lacked downforce in those crucial corners where you need to position the car for the following straight.

Rosberg's dominant win notwithstanding, the Mercedes was once again beaten into the fist corner by another car - Ricciardo's Red Bull.

But Wolff believes that starts and runs into the first corner have now led to more random outcomes thanks to the recent regulation changes, perhaps even to Mercedes detriment.

"We created those regulations in order to make the starts more variable and less predictable. You could see that again today when Nico's start was pretty good but Ricciardo's start was quicker.

"Obviously you always need to improve, I'm not sure this is not scientific data supported analysis but clearly you need to get it right and this is something we're working on."

Rosberg cruises home ahead of chaos in China

Relive the Chinese Grand Prix lap-by-lap as it happened!

Eric Silbermann has breakfast with photographer Crispin Thruston

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