( CNN ) -- Red Bull has enjoyed complete dominance over Formula One for the past four years but as the 2014 season approaches , is that about to change ? The all-conquering team and its four-time world championship-winning driver Sebastian Vettel have endured a less-than-satisfactory preseason testing period . The marque , which has also won the constructors ' championship four years in a row , completed fewer laps in preseason than any other team apart from Lotus -- which missed three of the four tests . `` Right now , nothing is lost -- no race has been run , no point has been allocated -- but when I listen to some media we are right in the middle of a huge disaster , '' Vettel told Formula One 's official website after the final test event in Bahrain at the weekend as he outlined the case for the Red Bull defense . `` There is massive hype and most people do n't know what they are talking about , '' added Vettel . `` Yes , sometimes you make mistakes , but there is no team in the paddock who can say that they can run a day without any issues . Despite Red Bull 's struggles , Vettel insisted it would be foolish to write off the team 's chances ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 16 . `` True there are some that have had less than we have , but we will fight through it . Everybody in the team -- including me -- is ready to fight , '' added the German . `` We have been growing together to such an extent that we are strong enough to dive through tough times . '' What has made this preseason so challenging is the raft of rule changes brought into the sport for 2014 . F1 's hulking V8 engines have been consigned to the scrapheap and replaced by hybrid 1.6-liter V6 models , while fuel and weight limits have also been imposed . Interactive : F1 rips up the rulebook . The move away from the loud V8s is a development that concerns F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone , who is worried the sport may lose some of its drama through the subsequent noise reduction . `` I 'm not at all happy with the sound of the new engines , to be honest , '' Ecclestone recently told CNN . `` It does n't sound like F1 , but that 's my opinion , let 's wait and see what the public think . '' If Red Bull is under pressure ahead of the Melbourne curtain-raiser , then Mercedes will be looking forward to it with relish . The German manufacturer , which finished second in the team standings in 2013 , had a fruitful time in Bahrain , with 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton setting the pace on Sunday . `` We are driven to fight for the championship -- that all is super positive , '' said Hamilton after an encouraging day at the Bahrain International Circuit . `` But let 's keep the feet on the ground : right now -- even if all indications look great -- it is still difficult to know who is hot and who is not . `` You go to Australia not knowing who the hell will be in the lead . Reliability will be a huge factor -- for every single person in the team . For everyone . '' Hamilton is anticipating a start similar to the 2012 season -- when seven different drivers won the first seven races of the year -- with a number of teams jostling for early-season honors . `` It could easily be like that , '' said the 29-year-old Briton . `` Fortunately the Mercedes is such a good engine : you have Williams , who look like they could be a competitive team , and you have Force India who could be much further ahead . `` Maybe Felipe Massa will take the Williams to the front ! Who knows ? '' Brazilian Massa is a new arrival at Williams after eight years at Ferrari and he 's made a promising start to his career with the British team . The Brazilian set the fastest lap time of the weekend on Saturday , while his rookie teammate Valtteri Bottas was also near the top of the timesheets in fourth position . `` The team has done a great job and thank you also to Mercedes-Benz ( Williams ' engine supplier ) , '' Finland 's Bottas told the team 's official website . `` We still need to work very hard in these next two weeks but I overall I 'm happy with how testing has gone for us . `` I am looking forward to picking up where we left off when we get to Melbourne . ''
Red Bull completed fewer preseason testing laps than any other team apart from Lotus . Sebastian Vettel has won the world championship in each of the past four seasons . Mercedes ' Lewis Hamilton set the quickest time on the final day of testingin Bahrain . The 2014 season will start with the Australian Grand Prix on March 16 .