McLaren driver Lando Norris has suggested that Mercedes are keeping their powder dry at the moment in terms of showing their performance and that they may even be ahead of his team heading towards the Bahrain Grand Prix.

McLaren and Ferrari both caught attention last week in Barcelona for Formula 1 testing with them producing decent pace and consistency over the full three days.

Indeed, it appears they have closed the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull but, of course, F1 testing is full of smoke and mirrors and there's every chance that last year's title protagonists will roll up to the Bahrain GP come March 20th and still be the teams to beat.

Certainly, that appears to be the thought process that Norris is having at the moment with him saying that it is close between the four teams but that he'd not be shocked if the running order was still as you were for the start of the new campaign compared to 2021:

"Mercedes never look that good in testing, only when they get to the first race. If they're good in testing, that means they're probably going to be incredible by the first race!

"I think everyone's worked on their own programmes and so on. Of course, everyone has different fuel loads and power modes and whatever.

Daniel Ricciardo in the McLaren

"We can see a picture. I think we are in a decent position. But then Ferrari have looked very good since day one. They've been at the top of the timesheets every single time and [their] long-run pace looks good. So Ferrari look very, very strong.

"Mercedes and Red Bull are right there with us [McLaren and Ferrari] and, if anything, I'd say a little bit ahead of the moment."