Mercedes have no room for error in their bid to secure a third back-to-back championship according to team boss Toto Wolff, as they have found themselves under attack from rival Red Bull at recent races.
In Spain Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race after the Mercedes duo took each other out and at the most recent grand prix in Monaco, Daniel Ricciardo would have almost certainly won had it not been for a pit stop error by his team.
Whilst Mercedes remain the quickest car across most circuits, Wolff is wary of the increased threat Red Bull pose to their title ambitions.
"Monaco brought us mixed emotions. For Lewis, it was just what the doctor ordered. For Nico, a whole lot of bad luck in one race made it a tough afternoon," said Wolff.
"But the main thing we took away was the very real threat from Red Bull. It took a bold strategy, a big push from Lewis and an even bigger slice of luck with Daniel’s slow pit stop to get us that win.
"I’ve said this many times before – but we have no breathing space in this Championship. Maintaining any advantage is a constant battle – and the pressure is only getting bigger.
"This unpredictable season has been great for the sport and shows that Formula One is alive and well. But, for us as a team, there is clearly work to do. There remains room for improvement in our reliability – but the push for more performance has become increasingly important too."
