• 2010 News

Rivals don't buy Mercedes' modesty

Michael Schumacher has hinted the Mercedes might not be fully ready in time for the season-opening race in Bahrain © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Lewis Hamilton

• Teams:
• Ferrari
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• McLaren
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• Mercedes

Niki Lauda has backed Jenson Button's hunch that Mercedes GP might be feigning pessimism on the eve of the 2010 world championship. After Michael Schumacher said recently that he does not expect his W01 car to be ready to win in Bahrain, Button admitted that "I do not completely believe him".

Team boss Ross Brawn told F1's official website on Tuesday that "we are not quite as well prepared as I would like to be", and Norbert Haug played down suggestions the top four teams are all equal favourites for the title. "I don't think it's a tie," he said. "Red Bull are in front of us."

Mercedes' caution could be the result of pressure from the parent company, with Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche maintaining the team should deliver "all or nothing" in 2010.

But former world champion Lauda was less than convinced. "The claim that Mercedes is struggling and will not be able to drive for victory is an understatement in my opinion."

Mercedes is not the only 2010 favourite calling for calm. Ferrari's is regarded as arguably the car to beat this season, but its president Luca di Montezemolo said there is "too much enthusiasm" about the F10.

"We are not the best, we are among the best," he told Sky Sport 24 at the Geneva Motor Show. "Last year we finished well behind the others and we are still recovering."

Lewis Hamilton said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa that the art of caution is widespread in F1 at present. "I could complain as well and say little lies as they do. The truth is that there are five or six competitive teams with similar performance, which is a situation that I have never before seen in F1."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.