Mercedes head to Brazil hoping to end F1 year in style with double

Mercedes are ready for the next celebrations after Lewis Hamilton clinched his fifth Formula One title in Mexico.

The team is now looking to crown that feat with the constructors' title at Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix in what would be its fifth consecutive double of drivers' and constructors' wins.

"We've lost points to Ferrari in the constructors' battle at the last two rounds, but while we know there's a tough fight ahead, we're fully focused on securing the double and ending the year in style," Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff said.

"Our target for this season was to win both championships, not one title or the other, so our mindset is one of unfinished business as we head to Sao Paulo."

Mercedes will seal the constructors' title if Ferrari do not outscore them by more than 12 points at Interlagos on Sunday in the season's penultimate race.

Although Hamilton has the drivers' title wrapped up, Mercedes battled with tyre problems in both the last two grands prix in the US and Mexico, which were won by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Hamilton finished fifth in Mexico on October 28 in what Wolff described as "a bittersweet weekend." Mercedes "cannot be satisfied" with the race performance in Mexico, he said.

"Qualifying looked promising but just a few laps into the race, we knew that we'd run into big issues with the tyres," Wolff said.

"We started to analyse those problems immediately after the race and have made progress with understanding the challenges we faced and why.

"It's important to apply all our learnings to make sure we come back strong in Brazil."

Ferrari will be hoping Sebastian Vettel can now put behind him the disappointment of losing out in the title race to Hamilton.

Vettel won last year at Interlagos, where Formula One has seen some of its most dramatic battles, and has three Brazilian GP victories to Hamilton's one in 2016.

"We will try to beat Mercedes in the constructors' championship and knock them off their throne to give them a taste for next year," Vettel said.

Ferrari can also look back to the the 2007 race in Brazil when Raikkonen was crowned champion for the Italian team.

However Mercedes have enjoyed pole positions in the last four Brazil races to demonstrate it has the greater pace on the undulating circuit in which rain often plays a role, and could again this weekend.

"Whatever the outcome, the numbers show that this has been the Prancing Horse’s best season since 2008 in terms of number of wins, pole positions and championship points scored," Ferrari said.

For McLaren's Fernando Alonso, who leaves F1 at the end of the season, it will be a Brazilian farewell in a grand prix won 12 times by his team, more than any other outfit.

"I’m excited to return to Interlagos because it’s an incredible circuit and I’ve always enjoyed racing there," Alonso said.

"It’s a track where many great races have taken place and it’s always a little bit unpredictable."

The unpredictability of the 4.309km Interlagos circuit - one of F1's shortest - was also highlighted by Red Bull, who are looking for a fifth win at the track following 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.

"Interlagos doesn’t suit our car that well, but after finishing on the podium there in 2016 and winning last week in Mexico, anything can happen in the race," Verstappen said.

"I’ve had some great battles and overtakes there and I’m hoping for another exciting race."

Ricciardo was in the points in sixth place last year after a first-lap spin had left him last.

"It’s a track that isn’t always that easy to pass on, but last year proved that it can be done and I’m looking forward to going back," he said.