Hamiton fears Mercedes is lagging behind 3 other F1 teams

By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Auto Racing Writer

Lewis Hamilton considers Mercedes so far off the pace that it might need three teams not to finish a Formula One race in order to win one. The next race is Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Red Bull dominated the season-opener in Bahrain two weeks ago with two-time defending world champion Max Verstappen leading a 1-2 ahead of Sergio Perez. Fernando Alonso was third for an impressive Aston Martin and Carlos Sainz Jr. took fourth for Ferrari. Hamilton was about 51 seconds behind Verstappen in fifth spot and says “we need the Red Bulls not to finish the race, and the Ferraris not to finish the race and maybe now the Astons not to finish the race, for us to be winning.”