Mercedes around the former world champion Lewis Hamilton does not expect any trouble with the Formula 1 rule keepers because of its extreme side boxes.

"We're really proud of the concept, now it just has to be fast," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff at the start of the tests in Bahrain on Thursday.

"It is clear that when you come up with an innovation, then there is a debate."

The W13 only has mini sidepods.

The almost rectangular cooling inlets at cockpit level became two narrow vertical slits on the left and right of the chassis.

In addition, a wing element protrudes horizontally from the chassis, on which sit the rear-view mirror and vertical fins.

As the rule guardian, the world motorsport association Fia was involved in all technical approvals, assured Wolff.

Formula 1 and Fia would treat the issue with "care".

“When you present innovations, it is clear that this sparks a debate.

We expected that," said Wolff.

“There are some very extreme interpretations of the regulations that could lead to a lot of discussion.

We didn't expect the Mercedes concept," admitted Formula 1 sports director Ross Brawn, who played a key role in the new set of rules.

During the first test drives in Barcelona in February, Mercedes had other side boxes.

"I would be surprised if Mercedes did something illegal," said Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto, but also said: "We are surprised.

Actually, the mirror should not be used as an aerodynamic element.

We should talk about that.

Otherwise, the mirrors will end up looking like spaceships.”

Max Verstappen remains relaxed

In the competition from Red Bull for world champion Max Verstappen, the new Mercedes approach under the completely new regulations this year immediately caused a stir, team boss Christian Horner had a critical quote withdrawn via his press department.

Horner is said to have previously said to the specialist magazine “Auto, Motor und Sport”: “These are not mirror mounts, these are wings.

That is not in accordance with the spirit of the regulations.

In addition, they built vertical baffles on top.

They have nothing to do with the mirror mount.”

Verstappen, on the other hand, was relaxed about the matter.

“All cars look different.

None of us understand them well enough to be able to say what works and what doesn't," said the 24-year-old: "We can only focus on ourselves." Hamilton's teammate George Russell was pleased that the Mercedes "this morning attracted a lot of attention”: “I am proud to be part of a team that drives innovation forward.

But it's not about how the car looks – it's about how fast it is.”

And yet Mercedes could face a problem, because a rule change will take effect this year.

"At the end of the day we have to be guided by the wording of the regulations, and these can be changed with an 80 percent majority," said Formula 1 sports director Brawn on Sky about the so-called "super majority".

So if eight of the ten teams agree to a rule change, Mercedes would be forced to act.

Previously, rule changes had to be approved unanimously by all teams.

Wolff makes no secret of the fact that he liked this path better.

“I preferred the old regulations.

There was nothing you could do about it when a team came along with clever innovations that comply with the rules,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mick Schumacher's Team Haas is allowed to drive a total of four hours longer than the competition during the test drives on Friday and Saturday.

As the US racing team informed, this is intended to compensate for the lost travel time due to the major logistics problems on arrival.

Schumacher drives two hours more on Saturday evening, his new Danish teammate Kevin Magnussen one hour each on Friday and Saturday.