Rosberg reveals where Mercedes has the real edge over Red Bull engine

To general surprise, the very first power unit produced within the walls of Milton Keynes was declared the benchmark in both the first and second FIA evaluation thresholds. This means it was not able to benefit from any additional development tokens, unlike Mercedes and, above all, Ferrari.

Speaking on the Sky F1 Show, the 2016 World Champion highlighted the contrasting strengths of the two power units. In his view, Red Bull-Ford has managed to develop an exceptionally powerful combustion engine despite having started from scratch, while Mercedes currently holds an advantage when it comes to battery efficiency.

Rosberg pinpointed that the Mercedes combustion engine is around 2% down on power compared with Red Bull's, but the German manufacturer is able to compensate through its highly efficient battery performance. He also stressed that Red Bull still has considerable room for improvement in this area, particularly given how impressive its progress has been since beginning development of its own power unit.

Rosberg also expressed confidence that Red Bull can continue closing the gap rapidly, arguing that the team has the potential to become a more consistent contender for race victories. He believes that progress could come as early as the closing stages of the current season.

Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has revealed that the team is preparing to resume its W17 development programme in Malaysia at the beginning of October, where a new upgrade package is expected to be introduced.

Mercedes has effectively paused its development work since the Canadian Grand Prix, when the team brought a substantial package targeting several areas of the car, including the front wing, floor, sidepods, bodywork and diffuser.

While Mercedes has remained relatively quiet on the upgrade front, McLaren and Ferrari have continued to develop their respective cars. Ferrari has also brought a second power unit into play this season, adding another element to its recent development efforts.

The next race in Baku is not expected to feature any major new developments from Mercedes, with the characteristics of the circuit placing particular emphasis on low drag and strong straight-line performance. At the same time, the team will need to ensure the W17 remains effective through the slower sections of the street circuit, where mechanical performance and stability are crucial.