Mercedes say they expect to start the new Formula 1 season next weekend with a slower car than Red Bull. In pre-season testing last weekend, Mercedes struggled, with their new car apparently lacking pace and stability. “There are a lot of unknowns,” Mercedes strategy director James Vowles said. Vowles said the team “don’t have the answers” as to why the car was not behaving the way Mercedes would have liked. “The car was handling poorly,” Vowles said, “and conversely the Red Bull in fact looked what we would call planted, but it was a very stable car especially through the last sector of the lap.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•