“Always like that!” Max Verstappen pokes fun at Mercedes sandbag claims ahead of F1 season opener in Bahrain

Mercedes seem unhappy with their performances at the pre-season test in Bahrain. The 8-time world claimed the car was not as good as its rivals Ferrari and red bull. But for most in the grid it seems common knowledge that the Silver Arrows downplay themselves and upplay their competitors to change focus while hiding in the shadow of their success!

Former driver Lewis Hamilton said he felt his team hadn’t put in their best performance and that there was a lot to improve for Mercedes. The seven-time world champion asserted sharply before the season opener in Bahrain: “At the moment I don’t think we will be fighting for victories”.

Which title rival Max Verstappen expressed his disbelief that Mercedes was not fully equipped to win the first race of the season. He also doesn’t believe a word of what Mercedes said and that the team is “always like that”.

Also read: “He should have less pressure,” says Fernando Alonso to Max Verstappen…

Max Verstappen takes a look at Mercedes

Not just Lewis Hamilton, but teammates George Russell to issue a statement that Mercedes is “a step behind our competitors” as “the performance isn’t there”. The Brit believed Ferrari are the clear favorites due to their strong performance in pre-season testing. To which Ferrari driver Carlo Sainz answered softly “Typical Mercedes” and silenced the hype around the paddock.

Max Verstappen backed Sainz’s remarks by saying “When someone is doing well or a team that everyone expects to do well, it’s like, ‘Oh no, we’re definitely not the favourites’. And then, a week later, when things are going well, it’s like, ‘Oh no, but we turned it around completely within a week. Not normal, incredible work. Thanks to all the people at the factory!’”