Lewis Hamilton has been dominant since making the switch from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013. Hamilton has shown great consistency since making the move and has clinched six out of the past seven world titles available. However, he admits that he faces a great challenge in 2021 in his quest to win the eighth title as the Mercedes didn’t look too fast during the Bahrain pre-season test.

This has to be combined with the fact that the RB16B of Red Bull looked genuinely rapid around the course. This renewed challenge from Red Bull, at least in testing, looks dangerous for Mercedes. Hamilton will also not be impressed with the fact that teammate Valtteri Bottas looked far more comfortable in the W12 than he did.

Lewis Hamilton knows that Mercedes is not the fastest on the grid

The Brit continued saying that this could be uniting factor for the team. He said, “And that has made me so excited. I’m so excited for that challenge and seeing some of those teams up close. I think it’s gonna be great for the fans, but I love that collaboration with the men and women in my team in trying to get to our common goal.”

Will any team challenge Mercedes in 2021?

There is a legitimate claim that Red Bull may be the fastest car in 2021. However, the fastest car doesn’t necessarily take home the title. Instead, it’s the team that is able to adapt to all the tracks well that walks out as the winner. Even with the updates incorporated by Honda into its 2021 power unit, there is a shout that the best is yet to come from Mercedes.

Mercedes needs to get adjusted to the new design they’ve introduced to the rear of the car. If they are able to come to terms with that, it could be business as usual for the team. But they will need to do it quickly. Because before they know it, Red Bull may have built up a big lead in the championship. The 2021 F1 season could make for fascinating watching if this dynamic continues.