Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff believes that Nico Rosberg will hit back at Lewis Hamilton this season.

The defending champion has won three of the four races so far this year, while Rosberg has often struggled to match his pace and has been forced to settle for second or third.

However, Wolff insists that the gap between the pair is a lot slimmer than it appears and denied that the German has been knocked off his stride.

He told Autosport: "When you look at their performance in qualifying in China there were just four hundredths between them. That is not someone who is clearly beaten. That is a tiny little edge which was enough for Lewis to make it on pole and control the race.

"It could have been completely different if Nico had been on pole. Nico wouldn't be in Formula 1 as a multiple race winner and a challenger for the championship if he allowed himself to be destabilised after a few races.

"I fully expect him to come bouncing back. I don't know when it will happen, but he's always going to be there, no doubt."

Rosberg will hope to get back to winning ways at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.