Wolff insisted that Lewis Hamilton remains the benchmark, and stressed the role that the seven-times world champion had played in lifting the team and developing its cars since he joined in 2013.

Russell’s charging performance, which saw him lose a likely race win to a pit stop mix-up and later a puncture, has inevitably led observers to suggest that Mercedes might not need Hamilton in the future.

“I think Lewis Hamilton wins so much, and many titles, because he's the best driver in the best car at the moment,” said Wolff.

“And we are very humble about it, because it's not a given that we provide him with the best car.

"And that's why we have a positive influence when the car works well to be part of his success, and we have a negative influence when our car doesn't work.

“So it's nev

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