As the F1 season edges closer, all eyes are on Mercedes after a solid performance during the Barcelona shakedown test. The team completed an impressive 500 laps over the course of the event, the most of any team, while also setting competitive lap times. However, the focus for most teams at the test wasn’t on outright performance, but on reliability and gathering data.

Despite this, there has been considerable buzz around Mercedes' potential this season. According to seven-time Grand Prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya, the Brackley-based outfit could be hiding significant pace in reserve, further solidifying their early favorite status for the upcoming campaign.

Speaking on the AS Colombia podcast, Montoya revealed that he’s heard whispers within the paddock suggesting Mercedes could still have three to four seconds of extra pace to unlock.

"If you hear what I hear , I think they didn't show everything by a long shot," Montoya said.

"I've heard they can still be three to four seconds faster. They worked on a reliable program and completed a lot of laps, but if they really start pushing… then it could be very different."

The reliability of Mercedes’ power unit was a key talking point during the shakedown, with no significant issues reported by customer teams like McLaren and Alpine. Given the stability and strong performance from Mercedes’ engine, Montoya is wondering whether the teams running Mercedes engines this season will also benefit from the potential advantage.

"As we know, some teams will interpret things correctly and some will not," Montoya continued. "But if Mercedes turns out to be really dominant, will that also mean that all Mercedes teams are in top form?"