P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Russell claims Mercedes F1 have gone backwards
George Russell expressed concern that Mercedes may have regressed in terms of reliability and performance during Bahrain’s first official pre-season test, despite being strong in Barcelona earlier. There is skepticism among paddock figures, as many believe Mercedes purposely masked their pace this week.
Both Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have suggested that Mercedes concealed their true speed, with Verstappen hinting at a potential power advantage yet to be revealed by Russell’s team.
Russell admitted their Bahrain test pointed out areas for improvement after facing technical issues, leading him to acknowledge Red Bull as the current team to beat, showcasing strong performance on track.
He emphasized the need for Mercedes to catch up with Red Bull’s early advantage before the upcoming Melbourne race, with only a limited timeframe to make necessary enhancements based on performances in both Barcelona and Bahrain.
