Mercedes' Andrew Shovlin admits that the possibility of things going wrong in the final stages of the World Championship battle might create some more nerves within the team. With seven races remaining, the cost of a retirement, crash or error could be huge in terms of the title fight with Red Bull. However, Shovlin – Head of Trackside Engineering at the Silver Arrows – believes that the tense nature of the challenge can be enjoyable as well. "It does make it a bit more nervous," Shovlin told Sky Sports. "[But] you've kind of got to enjoy the challenge of it. "There were some tricky decisions in the last race in Sochi with the rain, but it's actually quite fun. It's afterwards you realise that if you get these wrong, they could be quite defining moments. "Now it's a case of maximising every race weekend, and we'll see what we get at the end of the year." The gap between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at the top of the World Championship standings is currently just two points, reflecting how tight the battle is this season. Shovlin admits that it is positive to have this level of competition, given that Mercedes' recent years of dominance saw them remain far ahead of their nearest rivals. "It is nice to have the competition," Shovlin explained. "[In] the years in the past, it was much easier to win the championships, but it wasn't as much fun as it is this year. "For us, every win means a lot more when you're racing a fierce competitor like Red Bull." There could be another twist to the championship fight this weekend at the Turkish Grand Prix, with Mercedes electing to fit Hamilton's car with a new Internal Combustion Engine. This means that the seven-time World Champion will take a 10-place grid penalty. The team have explained why they only changed one part, rather than the full power unit .
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