Other than Kimi Raikkonen becoming the third most experienced driver in the history of the sport, this weekend could witness another significant milestone.

For should Ferrari or Red Bull claim victory on Sunday, it would represent the first time Mercedes has lost four consecutive races since the hybrid formula was introduced in 2014.

For as long as anyone can remember, Toto Wolff, almost to the point of tedium, has claimed that his team was either on the back foot or the underdog, and now, staring at Ferrari's renaissance, and the fact that the Italian team has scored three straight wins, world champion, Lewis Hamilton agrees.

"I don't think we are going to be favourites at any of the next six races," he told reporters, before adding, "but that doesn't mean we can't win.

"We know how fast Ferrari have been on the straights, in the past three races, we have been stuck behind and not able to get by," he added.

However, the Briton insists the situation is as much about Mercedes as it is its Maranello rival.

"Honestly, there's no point in worrying, because what will be will be," he said. "But I would say these last three races, we've probably not extracted 100% on the weekend, and that's what we need to get back to... extracting the maximum.

"It might make the smallest difference and might mean that we're just ahead or just in a better window to be able to get by, who knows? But that's what we're going to start targeting.

"Naturally I don't put it all on the team," he insisted, "I think together we can do a better job. I can definitely help squeeze a little bit more out of the car, I can try and squeeze a little bit more out of myself. I still haven't done a perfect lap, so potentially with a more perfect lap in qualifying I can make that subtle difference."

Check out our Friday gallery from Sochi, here.