Wolff: 'Red Bull fastest at a circuit they've never been fast at'

In recent years Bahrain has proven to be one of Mercedes' stronger circuits. However, this season Red Bull Racing were strongest despite not winning the race. They were three tenths faster in qualifying and had the same speed during the race. Toto Wolff, therefore, expects Mercedes to have a tough challenge against Red Bull this year.

"Bahrain has never really been the strongest race for Red Bull and they have never been really fast at the start of the season. Last weekend is proof that those expectations are no longer the case in 2021," Wolff explained in a conversation with Formula1.com. Circuits where Red Bull are normally already strong, such as Monaco, will therefore go even better for Max Verstappen's team.

Red Bull often the fastest?

"I have no doubt that it's going to be hugely difficult to beat them. They are the team driving at the front at the moment," Wolff acknowledged. Yet Mercedes won the opening race of the 2021 season, but according to the team boss of the seven-time world champions, this year will not go like the first race. "The racing gods were on our side this time and because of that we won," he said.

"It's not like we suddenly managed to find speed. It was a combination of good strategy, a strong car and also just some luck towards the final stages of the race." The biggest area for improvement according to the German team boss is clear after the first race. "We were three tenths behind them in qualifying and that's quite a big gap. It's going to be difficult to make up for that", concludes Wolff.