Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes that Ferrari will be their chief rivals in the upcoming Grand Prix for one particular reason; their 'sheer power'.

The reigning champions began the year on the front foot but Ferrari dominated proceedings in Bahrain and could've easily won there but for a mid-race malfunction. Given the fact that stakes are so high, bettors are relieved to have an option like Pinnacle VIP code which gives them access to great value odds. Both Ferrari and Mercedes have a certain reputation in Formula 1 racing. Add to that the world class drivers in Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, there is no doubt that the Chinese Grand Prix will be a hotly contested affair.

Wolff is aware of his team's shortcomings

Lewis Hamilton may have won in Bahrain but everybody knows that Ferrari's Charles Leclerc would have comfortably claimed his maiden Grand Prix had it not been for the unfortunate engine malfunction. And Toto Wolff believes that his team were lucky to come out with a victory against the powerful Ferrari.

In a modest admission Wolff said that Mercedes fell short in straight-line speed. He believes that Ferrari's power levels were extraordinary in Bahrain. The Shanghai circuit is power sensitive so if they can maintain those power levels they will be the team to beat according to Wolff.

He also said that Mercedes must accept the fact that it is sheer power which will make the difference. They have calculated the drag levels and they are not much far behind Ferrari's. But the difference in cars is there to see for all and that will have a huge impact in Shanghai.

Will Ferrari make it easier for Mercedes again?

The malfunction that we are talking about could not be identified during the race. After further checks it became clear what caused the power failure and it was declared in a worrying statement. The technicians and engineers of the Ferrari Scuderia Winnow located the problem.

It was revealed that a shot circuit had taken place within an injection system control unit which caused the power failure. This was the first incident of this sort hence it became difficult to trace the roots.

Ferrari has decided to use the same power unit for Leclerc's car which was used in Bahrain. They believe the power unit combined with Leclerc's talent will ensure a victory for Ferrari this time. However things could go downhill just as they did in Bahrain and that will give a massive boost to Hamilton.

Shanghai not one of Vettel's favourites

Another problem which Ferrari is going to face in Shanghai is Sebastian Vettel's unimpressive record here. The last time Vettel won here was ten years back in 2009. Last year he harmed his chances of scoring valuable points because of the contact made with the Dutchman Verstappen.

His mediocre record here is beyond comprehension given he has fared well in other Asian circuits. For example he dominated at India's Buddh International Circuit back in 2011. Hence, there will be a huge responsibility on Charles Leclerc's shoulders to steer Ferrari to victory in Shanghai.