Alex Wurz is expecting the driver rivalry at Mercedes to heat up in 2019.

The former F1 driver says Ferrari has a lot of work to do to catch up with a Mercedes team that looks more dominant than ever.

"Take a close look at every detail," Wurz told Speed Week when asked what Ferrari should do to react.

"Try every simulation, question everything about the car and then respond," he added.

For now, though, Mercedes appears all alone at the front of the field, and Wurz thinks that will ramp up the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

"He can and should fight for the world championship," Wurz said, referring to a resurgent Bottas in 2019.

"Last year he had some technical bad luck and was not yet so well established in the team. But he has set himself up well in the winter and now drives with confidence," he added.

He thinks Hamilton will now ramp up his defence of his position at Mercedes.

"You can already notice the first little taunts," said Wurz. "The better Bottas does, the more Hamilton will react."

Wurz also thinks the driver rivalry at Ferrari is heating up, spurred on by the media.

"It will be fascinating to see what happens," said the Austrian.

"Leclerc made the most of his learning year at Sauber and has coped well with the jump to a team top. But he has to deliver top results now, so there is a lot of pressure," Wurz added.