Wolff still not ready to openly back Hamilton for F1 title

Mercedes Formula 1 chief Toto Wolff is still not ready to give a "straight commitment" and back Lewis Hamilton over Valtteri Bottas in the drivers' championship for fear of the effect it could have on the latter's form.

Hamilton moved into a 28-point lead over Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in Singapore on Sunday after taking his third straight race win, and runs 51 points ahead of Bottas with six races to go.

Unlike Ferrari, Mercedes has not had just one driver fighting in the title race, nor has it openly given its backing to just one driver.

While Wolff is not comfortable getting the team to throw its full weight behind Hamilton, he did note that it was becomingly increasingly clear which way the decision will eventually go.

"I think that it’s pretty obvious that his chance of winning the drivers’ championship is higher than Valtteri’s," Wolff said.

"So like we’ve done in the past we will look at the preceding race and assess it, then the decision becomes obvious. 

"I wouldn’t want to give a straight commitment and say he’s our number one, because I don’t want to screw up the mind of our second driver.

"Because if he’s up in the front, and he’s leading the race… That’s why I don’t want to call it."