Analysing the great Mercedes mystery of F1 2019 testing so far
Formula 1 champion team Mercedes has spent testing so far near the bottom of the Barcelona timesheets. What's the story?
Is that a sign of its supreme confidence and a focus on heavily-fuelled long runs, or does it have anything to worry about?
Motorsport Network’s F1 reporter Scott Mitchell and technical consultant Gary Anderson unravel what we've learned about Mercedes so far this week.
More F1 testing insights:

Previous article
Barcelona test Day 3: The latest F1 2019 technical images
Next article
Ericsson confident for 2019, compares IndyCar with F1

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Event | Barcelona February testing |
Teams | Mercedes |
Analysing the great Mercedes mystery of F1 2019 testing so far
Trending
Jon Noble on the Bottas-Russell clash
Emilia Romagna race report
Starting Grid for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
How "overwhelming" McLaren move has given Ricciardo a new verve
Daniel Ricciardo has found a new lease of life at McLaren – a move that’s been years in the making, as he explains to STUART CODLING…
How 2021's midfielders have taken lessons from F1's top teams
Formula 1’s latest Imola adventure turned into an expensive trip for many teams due to several crashes throughout the weekend. While balancing the books is an added factor in 2021 with the cost cap, a few midfield teams have cashed in early on development investments.
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Driver Ratings
A frantic wet race at Imola produced plenty of excitement and drama as drivers scrabbled for grip. Amid the hatful of mistakes and incidents that ensued, who kept their noses cleanest?
How the Emilia Romagna GP result hinged on three crucial saves
Rain before the start of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix promised to spice up the action, and the race certainly delivered on that. Max Verstappen got the best launch to win from Lewis Hamilton, but both got away with mistakes that could have had serious consequences
The back-bedroom world-beater that began a new F1 era
The first in a line of world beaters was designed in a back bedroom and then constructed in a shed. STUART CODLING recalls the Tyrrell 001
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping .
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is no guarantee.