Wolff insists Mercedes can't underestimate 2018 competetion

Mercedes' executive director Toto Wolff says that the team must not get ahead of themselves and should be wary of another title challenge in 2018. From 2014 to 2016, the Silver Arrows dominated the sport, winning both the drivers' and constructors' titles comfortably.

However, after a shake-up in the aerodynamic regulations for the 2017 season, Mercedes found itself under pressure from Ferrari. In the end, the German team came out on top once again, and F1's head of the technical department Ross Brawn voiced his concerns over a Mercedes domination next year,

"Well, Ross needs to blame himself partly for that!" Wolff told ESPN. "He set the initial cornerstones in place back in 2012 when the team struggled a lot, with hirings such as Aldo Costa, and they were down to him. He has a problem now, he's on the other side and he needs to make sure there is more teams winning."

However, Wolff claims that in 2018, the fight will "start over again", and has advised his team to stay humble:  "I think we have a good organisation in place and somehow the wheel rolls now, but having said that you must never underestimate any of the competition.

"It can go super quick and suddenly you are on the back foot and the car is not as good as the others and we have seen that with Ferrari how quickly they can turn it around [the other way] from a so-so season to a world championship challenger in 2017. 

"So I think it's important to stay humble, forget about your own achievements. We are taking all the stickers off the doors here saying we have won the championship because in 2018 it all starts from zero again."