Mercedes deny tyre issues are down to wheel controversy

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has denied that the struggles of late of Mercedes' tyre management has anything to do with the controversial wheel designs that Ferrari complained about around the American Grand Prix.

For the third race in a row now, Mercedes have really struggled to get the compounds under control, as degradation seems to happen faster on the W09 than on any of the cars around them.

Wolff, who does concede that the German team have had issues with tyre management, denies that the wheel controversy has anything to do with this, though.

"This was the third time now," the Austrian told Auto Motor und Sport, referring back to Mexico and the United States as well as Brazil.

"I can assure you that the rims played no role. The reasons [for the tyre issues] were too different for that.

Mercedes just secured their fifth consecutive constructors' championship in Brazil last weekend, with Lewis Hamilton winning yet another race even though his drivers' title was already secured in Mexico two weeks ago.