Lewis Hamilton: “We realise that we’ve a mountain to climb”; Ted Kravitz believes Aston Martin are forward of Mercedes in early pecking order; watch Bahrain GP stay on Sky Sports activities F1 subsequent weekend, with observe motion from Friday to Sunday
Final Up to date: 26/02/23 8:50am
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Ted Kravitz ranks the F1 groups’ possibilities from worst to finest after this 12 months’s testing
Ted Kravitz ranks the F1 groups’ possibilities from worst to finest after this 12 months’s testing
Lewis Hamilton admits Mercedes have a “mountain to climb” after a tough three days of pre-season testing, whereas Sky Sports activities F1’s Ted Kravitz believes Aston Martin are sooner forward of subsequent weekend’s opening race.
Mercedes got here into the take a look at in Bahrain with probably the most inquiries to reply and, whereas the previous Method 1 world champions solved their bouncing automobile points, they nonetheless struggled for grip and tempo, which was masked by Hamilton posting the second-fastest time behind Sergio Perez on the ultimate day.
Purple Bull have been put in as favourites for the Bahrain GP – which is stay on Sky Sports activities F1 from Friday to Sunday – by Ferrari and Mercedes, and Hamilton opened up on his crew’s struggles after the take a look at.
“It has been an attention-grabbing few days, it is by no means straightforward,” Hamilton stated. “There’s been quite a lot of discovery.
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Sergio Perez places within the quickest lap of testing on the C4 tyres in his Purple Bull
“I believe the factor I have been most impressed with is, it is my eleventh 12 months with the crew and everybody’s turned up with the identical mentality, working onerous, nobody’s been complacent.
“We realise that we’ve a mountain to climb and nobody’s fussed, everybody has simply saved their heads down so I am actually pleased with that.”
Hamilton had earlier stated Mercedes had the identical “steadiness limitations” from final 12 months regardless of their hopes they’d be title challengers from the off this season.
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Ted Kravitz is within the paddock forward of the 2023 Method 1 season as he analyses the important thing moments from the third and last day of pre-season testing in Bahrain
“We’re not fairly the place we need to be but it surely’s a superb platform to begin from,” he added.
“It is a way more stunning world to be in once we’re not bouncing however we do have some tempo to select up in a straight line.
“We’ve some issues we have to work on, it is nonetheless not good and we’re nonetheless not in a position to match the Purple Bulls, or the Ferraris, at present.
“Who is aware of the place we’ll be subsequent week, we’ll simply attempt to keep constructive.”
Ted: Aston Martin are forward of Mercedes
Sky Sports activities F1’s Ted Kravitz in Bahrain
“I’ve received Aston Martin third and probably even a little bit bit nearer to Ferrari. That is to do with Fernando Alonso’s race run.
“In Saturday’s Bahrain GP [long runs] such because it was, it will have been Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso on the rostrum forward of the Ferraris and the Mercedes.
“Aston Martin had Purple Bull anxious from Day One, Adrian Newey (Purple Bull’s chief technical officer) talked about them within the groups he is involved about, the automobile is actually good, it has some good concepts. Alonso’s race run on Saturday was *chef’s kiss*.
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Ted Kravitz is within the paddock forward of the 2023 Method 1 season as he analyses the important thing moments from the third and last day of pre-season testing in Bahrain
“I’ll be barely reticent and say that Aston Martin are third and Mercedes are fourth in the meanwhile.
“We have to see a giant step from Mercedes over the subsequent few days for them to be solidly third.
“When Hamilton got here out and stated that the porpoising was largely gone however among the ‘steadiness limitations’ of final 12 months’s automobile are nonetheless current, I could not imagine it. I believed, grasp on, that is the Mercedes that’s imagined to be okay!
“However they’re nonetheless affected by the issues that they had final 12 months.”
Method 1 is again! Watch the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix stay on Sky Sports activities F1 subsequent weekend. The observe motion begins on Friday whereas Sunday’s race begins at 3pm. Get Sky Sports
