P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes was the talk of the town in the build-up to pre-season testing in Barcelona.
George Russell described the first pre-season test in Bahrain as a “reality check” for Mercedes, highlighting Red Bull’s strength. The hype surrounding Mercedes before the current F1 season had been overshadowed by Red Bull’s impressive performance in Barcelona and Bahrain. Russell acknowledged Red Bull’s dominance and predicted them to be the team to beat at the start of the season. The upcoming three-day testing session will be crucial for teams to adjust their cars before the opening round in Melbourne. Russell emphasized the challenge of catching up to Red Bull’s strong start and the work that Mercedes needs to do to be competitive.
