(Reuters) – Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton performed down his probabilities of starting the Formula One season with a win and mentioned on Saturday his Mercedes lacked a ‘appreciable quantity’ of tempo.
The season begins in Bahrain subsequent week and Hamilton, hoping to win again the title from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after a controversial finish to the 2021 season, took the underdog place.
“At the second, I’m positive everybody can determine that out, we aren’t the quickest,” the 37-year-old Briton informed reporters on the ultimate day of pre-season testing on the Sakhir circuit.
“I believe Ferrari look to be the quickest and maybe Red Bull after which possibly us or McLaren. We’re at the moment not on the high.”
Asked whether or not he had any issues about his means to battle for the championship, Hamilton mentioned it was too early and expressed confidence in his crew’s confirmed means to work by means of any issues.
Mercedes have gained the final eight constructors’ championships.
Hamilton mentioned the brand new automotive had proven first rate reliability and the crew had acquired by means of their take a look at programme nevertheless it was clear there remained a lot to do.
“At the second I do not suppose we’ll be competing for wins,” he mentioned.
“There is potential inside our automotive to get us there, we have simply acquired to study to have the ability to extract it… we have now some hurdles to beat.
“Next week we’ll get a significantly better displaying of our tempo however I believe folks will likely be stunned, possibly. People preserve speaking about (whether or not) we’re speaking ourselves down or not nevertheless it’s a bit completely different this 12 months.”
Mercedes’s rivals have taken such declarations with some scepticism up to now.
Last 12 months Mercedes had a troubled pre-season, finishing the fewest laps of any crew, however Hamilton nonetheless gained the opening race in Bahrain.
In 2019, Mercedes had appeared as much as half a second off Ferrari’s tempo in testing after which completed one-two in Melbourne.
This season has radically revised guidelines and Hamilton, the game’s most profitable driver of all time with a report 103 wins, mentioned it felt completely different.
“I believe we have now far greater challenges this time,” he mentioned. “It will take a little bit longer. From what I’m informed, we have now a appreciable quantity of tempo to seek out.”
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly, who adopted the Mercedes carefully on Saturday and noticed Hamilton’s struggles with the automotive, was ready to agree.
“I believe they do have some work to be preventing proper on the high, nevertheless it’s solely testing,” mentioned the Frenchman.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, modifying by Clare Fallon)
