Bottas: "It's going to be three teams challenging" in Melbourne

Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas has said that there will be "three teams challenging" for the title in Melbourne despite how much teams are willing to show their true speed during pre-season testing in Barcelona.

During the past two weeks of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya Ferrari team principal stated several times that they are behind Mercedes and Red Bull in terms of performance.
 
The Scuderia dominated 2019’s pre-season whilst the Silver Arrows remained relatively quiet before going on to secure a one-two finish at Melbourne.
 
Bottas set the benchmark for 2020 with a time of 1:15.732 but stills believes that Ferrari and Red Bull will go wheel-to-wheel with Mercedes for the victory in Australia on 15 March.

"We felt we really struggled last year in testing, and then we were really strong form in Melbourne, so you never know what other packages teams are bringing to the first race from testing," he said to Autosport.

"Even from testing times, it's tricky to read.

"I still think it's going to be three teams challenging, at the beginning of the season at least, for wins."

While conditions in Barcelona for testing have been cold in the mornings and evenings, Bottas is aware how the difference that warmer temperatures Melbourne offer can affect an F1 car.

"We know there will be quite a big difference in Melbourne, it's quite a different track obviously, but even coming back to Barcelona in May, it's quite different feeling then in the car," he added.

"We know more or less what to expect, but we need to keep reminding ourselves [of the difference]."