Once again, it looks like the Red Bull juggernaut is ready to get going. Max Verstappen made mincemeat out of all the drivers in 2023, and it appears that 2024 may be no different. Already on the opening day of testing, Verstappen was 1.1 seconds ahead of second-placed Lando Norris. In light of this, Mercedes driver George Russell confessed that Red Bull will be the team to beat yet again.

In essence, he was already throwing in the towel before the season even began. Over the past few years, Mercedes has been a pale imitation of its previously dominant self. They have been a far cry from the team that romped to seven straight world drivers’ championships. Now, it seems that Christian Horner and co. will be even stronger in the 2024 campaign, and that has many people worried.

George Russell sounded very defeatist in his assessment

He said in the press conference as reported by BBC, “I think, probably as you’d expect from Red Bull, they’re in such a great momentum at the moment. They started these new regulations on the front foot, and they came here and have been solid ever since. So, you know, they are, as I said, definitely the favorites.” The 26-year-old added, “They’re definitely a step ahead of everybody else here in Bahrain. So, they’ve had an impressive winter, no doubt. But that was to be expected. Such an impressive team and outfit. And we need to see where we fall out there in the races.”

Overall, Russell has acknowledged that there is a lot of work to be done. According to him, last year’s car was a difficult beast to tame, to the point where he and Hamilton had no confidence in it. The #63 driver revealed that he and his teammate lacked stability in the car at the time. This year, things are looking up, because the team has reported taking a step towards the car’s consistency.

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Will Mercedes be back to its winning ways?

Russell admitted that, in 2023, the W14 car possessed several faults. This year, he is confident that its successor has rectified any issues. Most of the disadvantages lay on the mechanical side, but now that these issues seem to be resolved, the team can focus on aerodynamics. The Briton revealed that if the car is decent to drive, but lacks the pace, then the onus is to find downforce.

READ MORE: Toto Wolff’s Chief Engineer Admits Defeat to Christian Horner & Co. Mere Days Before 2024 Season Starts

Admittedly, Red Bull is still way too far ahead, if testing prowess is to be believed. However, the real indication will be when the season actually begins. If Mercedes can overtake Ferrari and close the gap to Red Bull, it will be a massive confidence booster. Additionally, it will also be a great swan song for Hamilton before he leaves the team.