Red Bull is likely to hold a performance advantage over Mercedes at next weekend's opening round of the Formula One season, according to senior engineers from the reigning champions.
Mercedes struggled for performance throughout last weekend's test at the Bahrain International Circuit, which will also host the first race of 2021, with Lewis Hamilton's fastest lap over a second off Max Verstappen's best time in the Red Bull.
A number of variables, such as fuel loads and engine settings, may have skewed the competitive order during the test, but after seven years dominating the sport Mercedes is preparing for a much closer battle this season.