Hamilton ready for battle: 'Looking forward to a fight with Verstappen'

For Mercedes the winter test in Bahrain did not go as planned. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, according to Martin Brundle, and also Damon Hill thinks that Lewis Hamilton is worried about the Mercedes test.

Problems at Mercedes

Between the winter test and the first Grand Prix of 2021 Mercedes still has some work to do, because during the winter test in Bahrain it became clear that Mercedes is still struggling with the car. The gearbox broke down, the balance was lost and also the performance left something to be desired. The seven times world champion has to work hard.

''They had one of those tests where if it could go wrong it did go wrong. The sight of Lewis standing beside a stricken car in a gravel trap, you have to do a double take, when did we last see that happen? Or Lewis spinning on cold tyres coming into the pit straight? They just had one of these tests and I do think they have work to do, it did not go well,'' said Martin Brundle to The Guardian.

Verstappen versus Hamilton

''Lewis might be a little bit concerned about how Mercedes’ test went. They have shown a little bit of vulnerability they didn’t want to show but he is a big boy and he will be as committed as ever. It might be more difficult but that won’t be off-putting for Lewis, he won’t mind having a fight. If it is a fight with Max he will relish that,'' says Damon Hill too.

The 1996 world champion is looking forward to the start of the season and predicts that this year could finally be an interesting one. ''More than any season I can think of for quite a while it looks like there is a change of form. My hopes are up for a much tighter championship,'' concludes Hill.