Bruno Senna says Ferrari should not give up on winning the 2019 title.
After Australia, where the Italian team's winter promise failed to materialise, many observers said Mercedes is now the overwhelming favourite for the rest of the season.
"Ferrari is good but Mercedes looks stronger," agrees Senna, a former F1 driver whose uncle was the legendary Ayrton Senna.
35-year-old Bruno, now a Le Mans driver, was speaking at a Senna exhibition in Asti, Italy, on the occasion of what would have been F1 legend Ayrton's 59th birthday.
Senna tipped Ferrari to "do better" in Bahrain next weekend.
"The first race does not represent the real progress of the championship," said the former HRT, Renault and Williams driver.
"It was a sad first outing for Ferrari, but the Australian circuit is strange and unique and perhaps not so significant when evaluating the overall level of a car.
"In Bahrain, Ferrari will be able to do better," he added.
