Mercedes have 'taken a step back': Russell

Russell and Mercedes have long been tipped as title candidates for this season as all the teams adapt to the rule changes which have led to a complete overhaul of chassis and engines, with a bigger focus on energy management. The teams had a shakedown in Barcelona at the end of January and return to the track in Bahrain next week ahead of the season opening in Melbourne on March 8. "Barcelona was very smooth (for Mercedes), and probably smoother than we actually anticipated, in terms of reliability...