“Lewis Was Struggling” – Pierre Gasly Counters Recent Mercedes F1 Sandbagging Claims

Pierre Gasly has suggested that the Mercedes F1 team is not at their best yet. The 3-day testing in Bahrain ended last week, and Verstappen amassed the fastest time with Charles Leclerc coming in at third. Considering the pre-season test performances, Ferrari and Red Bull are in a sweet spot and go into the Bahrain GP with high hopes. However, many believe that Mercedes are ‘sandbagging’ and the Silver Arrows have not shown their true pace yet.

The FIA’s decision to change the regulations means the competition between the teams will be closer than ever. So, Gasly’s comments will be music to the ears of both Red Bull and Ferrari. Now the 2 teams will be carefully optimistic about their chances to topple Mercedes at the top.

Gasly’s comments on Mercedes

Mercedes presented a completely different car in the Bahrain testing, compared to the W13 they brought to Barcelona. There were no side-pods on the 2022 challenger and rumors suggested that the pace of the car in the simulator was quicker than expected. However, that has not been the case in the 3-day testing.

Interestingly, Pierre Gasly got in a tussle with Lewis Hamilton on the track during the testing. The two raced each other for some time, giving the fans a glimpse of the 2022 season. And the Frenchman revealed Hamilton did not feel comfortable behind the wheel.

Speaking on the incident, he said, “We know we still have some work to do to improve the performance and balance of the car, but you could clearly see that Lewis was struggling and I think they still have some work to do if they want to go for the top positions.” (quotes translated using Google Translate)

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Gasly also confirmed that the Silver Arrows did not look like their previous selves. He added, “The bottom line is that Mercedes probably doesn’t look as good as before.”

However, the AlphaTauri driver was quick to suggest that Mercedes might have not shown their full potential. He also revealed that the scuffle with Hamilton was exciting. The French driver stated, “It was just test days. Part of that test revolves around discovering how to get the most out of the car.”

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Lewis Hamilton also admitted that the W13 is yet to discover its true capacity. The first race week of the season is inches away and the Mercedes camp is still finding issues with the car. Can Ferrari and Red Bull take the opportunity and steer clear of the Silver Arrows? We will have to wait and watch.