Lewis Hamilton might have taken the world championship lead from teammate Nico Rosberg but Mercedes believes the title will go down to the last race in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton has won five of the last six races, overturning a 43-point deficit to lead the drivers' standings by six points.
"My feeling is that the championship will go to the end," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says. The Austrian's comments are part political, given he could never write off one of his drivers, but also based on what he has seen of Rosberg's determination and improvement over the past 12 months. "You will see a couple of races go towards one and then towards the other."
Rosberg needs to put in a good performance at his home race in Hockenheim on Sunday, the last before the summer break. Once Formula 1 leaves Europe in the final eight races, Hamilton is traditionally very strong.
Rosberg said: "I've always said I'm not counting points. I fully expected Lewis to come back. It ebbs and flows and it's always going to be a tough battle against him because he's the world champion.
"It just takes a small thing to switch it the other way."
- The Daily Telegraph