Red Bull thinks Formula 1 rival Mercedes' advantage is shrinking

Reigning champion Red Bull took a double podium in last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, with Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo finishing behind race winner Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes.

Team boss Christian Horner believes there was less to separate Red Bull and Mercedes in Singapore than there had been in previous races.

"The gap to Mercedes was skewed after the pace car due to how the strategies panned out," explained Horner, in reference to Hamilton's huge speed advantage late on.

"In the first stint, Sebastian was able to go reasonably well with Lewis, and I think Lewis pulled out seven seconds up to his first stop.

"It wasn't like they were pulling out a second a lap on us, so certainly I think we were closer to them.

"They had an advantage, but we were certainly a lot closer than in some of the previous races."

When asked if he felt Red Bull could bridge the gap to Mercedes before the end of the campaign, Horner said: "On circuits like Singapore we can get closer, but the reality is that the horsepower difference we have is a big factor.

"So while we closed the gap last weekend, at some of the tracks coming up - like Abu Dhabi and perhaps Sochi - it's going to extend again.

"The key for us is the work we do over the winter and hopefully we can come out of the starting blocks next year having closed that gap."

'SHOCKING' MERCEDES RELIABILITY

Red Bull remains in the championship hunt, thanks to Mercedes' poor reliability this season.

But despite fresh problems for Nico Rosberg in Singapore, Horner suggests Red Bull will face its own dramas later in the campaign.

"Due to their shocking reliability, we are still in this championship," said Horner.

"It levels itself out over the year and we're going to have to take an engine penalty at some point with Sebastian, while Mercedes probably won't.

"I think the technology is so advanced now that there are going to be issues."

Mercedes holds a 174-point advantage over Red Bull in the constructors' championship at present, while its lead scorer Ricciardo is 60 points down on Hamilton in the drivers' standings.