Mercedes Not The Fastest In 2021 - Lewis Hamilton

  Lewis Hamilton says world champions Mercedes are "not the fastest" team heading into the first race of the new Formula 1 season in Bahrain. Mercedes struggled with their car in testing and Hamilton said the title fight would "absolutely" be closer than 2020, which he and his team dominated. The seven-time champion said: "It's massively exciting for us as a team. "We're not the fastest. How are we going to work to get to where we want to be? That challenge is so exciting.” Hamilton added that the team had been working hard in the week and a half since testing finished to understand the problems they were having with their car, which was unstable at the rear. "I am fully confident they have done the absolute best," Hamilton said, "but it is going to be a continued battle to get the car to be where we want it to be." Red Bull appeared to be in the best shape after pre-season testing, but have been keen to play down claims that they are favourites. Their driver Max Verstappen said on Thursday: "We will see. What matters is that you perform when it counts. "You just have to focus on your job and stay calm and focused because it just distracts you." Hamilton, who has the chance this year to set another all-time record and win an eighth world title, having equalled the seven won by Michael Schumacher in 2020, said he would continue to take the knee before races to show his support for anti-racism.