Mercedes: Data shows we’re not as quick as Red Bull after F1 testing
Mercedes says it has its "work cut out" for the new Formula 1 season after its testing data showed it is not as quick as Red Bull over race runs.
Mercedes suffered setbacks on the first two days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, with drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas losing track time to issues and reporting rear-end instability with the car.
Although Mercedes closed out the running in Bahrain with a trouble-free final day, the team still ended testing at the bottom of the mileage table.
Lewis Hamilton ended testing with the fifth-fastest time, but was over a second off Max Verstappen's best effort for Red Bull.
Although Red Bull has moved to downplay its favourite tag, Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said at the end of testing that the team's data proved it was behind on pace.
"We've made a bit of progress with the balance on higher fuel and the car was more predictable but we can see from the data we've collected over the last few days that on race pace, we're not as quick as Red Bull," Shovlin said.
"The lower fuel work was a more confusing picture, we didn't gain enough and we need to go and look at our approach as far too many cars were ahead of us on pace today.
"We've had issues in recent years with pace in winter testing and managed to make good progress before the first race but we may have our work cut out this time.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
"We've not got long before we're back here for the race so we've planned a programme of work to try and understand some of our issues and will be leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to find some more speed over the next 10 days."
Mercedes spent the final day of testing focusing on long-run set-up work with Bottas in the morning before Hamilton conducted a mix of long-runs and qualifying simulations in the evening.
Even fitting the softest available C5 compound tyre, Hamilton struggled to match Verstappen's pace in the Red Bull.
"Today we made some improvements but it's still not where we want to be," Hamilton said.
"I can't pick out any one area, it just feels globally through the lap that we need to improve. I'm looking forward to getting back into competition and back in that focus mode."
Related video
Previous article
Vettel lacking “100 laps” of F1 test mileage with Aston Martin
Next article
Verstappen: 2021 pre-season ‘definitely’ my best with Red Bull
The floundering fortunes of F1’s many Lotus reboots
Team Lotus ceased to exist in 1994 - and yet various parties have been trying to resurrect the hallowed name, in increasingly unrecognisable forms, ever since. DAMIEN SMITH brings GP Racing’s history of the legendary team to an end with a look at those who sought to keep the flame alive in Formula 1
Why the 2021 title fight is far from F1's worst, despite its toxic background
OPINION: Formula 1 reconvenes for the Russian Grand Prix two weeks after the latest blow in ‘Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton’. While the Silverstone and Monza incidents were controversial, they thankfully lacked one element that so far separates the 2021 title fight from the worst examples of ugly championship battles
How F1’s other champion to emerge from 1991 thrived at Lotus
Mika Hakkinen became Michael Schumacher’s biggest rival in Formula 1 in the late-90s and early 2000s, having also made his F1 debut in 1991. But as MARK GALLAGHER recalls, while Schumacher wowed the world with a car that was eminently capable, Hakkinen was fighting to make his mark with a famous team in terminal decline
The forgotten F1 comeback that began Jordan’s odyssey
Before Michael Schumacher – or anyone else – had driven the 191 (or 911 as it was initially called), Eddie Jordan turned to a fellow Irishman to test his new Formula 1 car. JOHN WATSON, a grand prix winner for Penske and McLaren, recalls his role in the birth of a legend…
The squandered potential of a 70s F1 underdog
A podium finisher in its first outing but then never again, the BRM P201 was a classic case of an opportunity squandered by disorganisation and complacency, says STUART CODLING
The other notable Monza escape that F1 should learn from
OPINION: The headlines were dominated by the Italian Grand Prix crash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who had the halo to thank for avoiding potentially serious injury. But two days earlier, Formula 1 had a lucky escape with a Monza pitlane incident that could also have had grave consequences
How Monza only added more questions to F1's sprint race conundrum
With two sprint races under its belt, Formula 1 must now consider its options for them going forward. While they've helped deliver exciting racing on Sundays, the sprints themselves have been somewhat lacking - creating yet another conundrum for F1 to solve...
Who should Alfa Romeo sign for 2022's F1 season?
OPINION: With Valtteri Bottas already signed up for 2022, all eyes are on the race for the second seat at Alfa Romeo next year. Antonio Giovinazzi is the current incumbent, but faces a tough competition from appealing short and long-term prospects
