Rosberg: More to come from Mercedes

The German delivered the Brackley-based team's first top-three finish since the Chinese Grand Prix in Britain, and he is optimistic that the outfit can set it sights on similar top results in the second half of the year.

"In Britain we went back on track and I think finishing third, it would have been fourth out of pure merit if Vettel had stayed on - that is where we needed to be at that point," said Rosberg.

"From there we can build on that, following on with upgrades and pushing on. There is no reason why we cannot improve from that and even improve significantly - especially as Silverstone is not even one of our good tracks when you compare it to someone like Red Bull Racing. I think things are back on track."

Rosberg believes that improvements that Mercedes GP has made to its F-duct and blown diffuser for Hockenheim can help lifts its performance this weekend.

"We have several upgrades so we should definitely be looking better again," he explained. "The podium should be the aim definitely. The upgrade worked at Silverstone and the aim should be to do it again here.

"The main problem [this year] was that the car as a base was not as good as we had hoped. We are developing well with everything, but when the base isn't right then it is difficult.

"We are making the best of the situation now and pushing on well - but the main areas are always the same. It is mainly aerodynamic where we need to progress and we are doing that, at the moment, with a further development here of the F-duct, which should be a definitely step forward. We will see how far it gets us up the grid."

Rosberg also believes that it is too early for his team to be sure it has overcome the tyre problems that have hampered its efforts at some races this year.

"There is definitely still work to do. It is a very difficult subject which you struggle to understand as a team, and other teams have it too. Nobody really understands what the reasons are.

"We are doing a lot of things to try and improve it, without knowing for sure that is the cure. It doesn't happen at all the tracks, a few tracks it happens.

"It hit us very bad in Montreal and a little bit less so in other places. At Silverstone the problem wasn't really there. I just hope we don't go to another track where it is another issue because it could be a problem again."