A week or so ago it seemed that everyone was talking up their chances, now, with just a few days until the season kicks off, the precise opposite is happening.

The latest driver to 'come out' and tell fans not to build up their hopes just yet is Takuma Sato, whose BAR team finished runner-up to Ferrari last season.

Much like last year, winter testing has been inconclusive with no clear leader emerging, though several teams have been (worryingly) consistently off the pace. In 2004, Ferrari hadn't looked at all special, then went to Melbourne and utterly destroyed its opposition from the first free practice session.

This year, once again, Ferrari hasn't looked that strong, but nobody is writing them off, while Renault and McLaren have set the pace at many of the tests.

"It is so difficult to see only winter testing times," Sato told the Herald Sun, "but it looks like the Renault and McLaren are very fast. Ferrari will be again, very strong.

"It's going to be a pretty tough and difficult start," he admitted. "We should take this one as a big challenge and opportunity, because the ultimate goal for us is to win a race. By the middle or end of the season I believe we can achieve what we want.

"2004 was a fantastic year for all of us," he continued, "the new car is a significant step forward."

While others, in particular his teammate Jenson Button, who has yet to win a Grand Prix, believe that Michael Schumacher's reign could be coming to an end, Sato isn't so sure.

"I think what he has done in the last few seasons is just unbelievable," said the Japanese star. "Because of that he is the current champion and Ferrari is champion team. I should say they are still No. 1 at the moment."