Mercedes driver George Russell has mentioned the opening days of preseason testing recommend rivals Crimson Bull stay a step forward of the remainder of the Components One subject.

Reigning champion Max Verstappen topped the opening day of this week’s take a look at by over a second, albeit with extra makes an attempt at a quick lap than his rivals and when observe circumstances have been at their finest within the remaining hour of the session.

– Unlapped: How one can pay attention or watch ESPN’s F1 present

Russell mentioned Crimson Bull’s capability to hit the bottom operating got here as no shock following the workforce’s dominance in final yr’s championship and he expects them to proceed because the workforce to beat in Components One when the season will get underway on March 2.

“I feel it was in all probability as you’d count on from Crimson Bull, they’re in such nice momentum in the mean time,” Russell mentioned. “They began these new rules on the entrance foot. They got here right here and have been strong ever since.

“As I mentioned, they have been the favourites, they are a step forward of everyone else right here in Bahrain. They’ve had a powerful winter little question.

Editor’s Picks

1 Associated

“However that was to be anticipated, such a powerful workforce and outfit, and we have to see the place we fall out within the coming races.”

Russell was twelfth quickest on the opening day of testing as he centered on refining Mercedes’ setup and finishing a race simulation in direction of the top of the afternoon session.

Mercedes has modified its automobile idea this yr whereas focusing on enhancements to its drivability after each Russell and teammate Lewis Hamilton mentioned they might not belief the dealing with of final yr’s W14.

“It positively is an enchancment, there is not any doubt about that,” Russell mentioned of the brand new W15. “You may have the worst automobile to drive, but when it is sooner than everyone else, you’d be pleased with it.

“It was positively pleasurable to drive yesterday, I had a superb feeling inside the automobile, however all the opposite groups made a superb step ahead and proper now, it is positively far too early to say.

“We’ve an enormous mountain to climb to catch up what Crimson Bull have been doing final yr, how far forward of everyone else they have been. We have to wait and see, however we have positively bought a significantly better platform to construct upon. It isn’t the diva that it was the previous two years.”

Requested the place the automobile nonetheless wanted enchancment to match Crimson Bull, Russell added: “Extra downforce. When the automobile feels good however it’s not fairly on the tempo, you simply want to search out downforce in the correct locations.

“This iteration of rules, there’s positively a candy spot for all the groups. You positively need the automobile as little as doable, however you may’t go too low in case you are bottoming out.

“It does not take rather a lot to search out that candy spot and discover loads of efficiency. And hopefully Crimson Bull are already in that candy spot and we will shut that hole [by finding it], however yeah, it’ll take loads of laborious work to take action.”