Paddಞock gossip has been shared that Mercedes might prove faster than expected in Bahrain.

Mercedes enter the season-opening F1 Bahrain Grand Prix expecti𒁏ng to be behind the dominant Red Bulls, while also seeing Ferrari improvementsꦆ through preseason testing.

But all may not appear as it seems.

Naomi Schiff said on Sky Sports: “The long 🔯run from Lewis Hamilton [in preseason testing] has a few people in the paddock talking.

“Their race pace looks promising.

“Obviously Ferrari’s was as well. That has been their Achilles heel and it looks like they’ve turned that arou✅nd.

“There is more comi🐻ng from Mercedes than they’ve managed to show.

“There were secret nuggets that﷽ I’ve heard quite a few people in the paddock talking about.”

The♋ front suspension and wishbone are the most notable aꦓspects of the W15, entering Bahrain.

Mercedes backed a totally new concept for the 2024 F1 se𒈔ason after a terrible two-year period.

But D🔯amon Hill 🎃has noticed something completely different about the W15’s preparation for the 2024 season.

“I think Fe﷽rrari are more comfortable, more c♏ompetitive,” Hill said.

“I think you’d have heard more positive noises coming out of Mercedes than we have done, if they really thought that they’d nailed i💯t.

“It’s okay getting rid of a spiteful rear end. That’s ☂one thing.

“But you have to see performance.

“I thought the Mercedes looked very di🎀fficult to d💦rive, looking at some of the laps in testing.

“It seemed a rough ride, and it has seemed🙈 like that for a long time.

“Whereas the Ferrari looked subtle. It might be borne out of its race run pace. It n🍃ormally means a car is looking after its tyres.”