File picture: Thomas Peter / Reuters.

London - One-two victories by Mercedes in the first three races of the season does not mean Formula One is set for a repeat of 1992, when then-dominant Williams did the same and ran away with the title, according to Ross Brawn.

The sport's managing director for motorsport said on Tuesday that the situation was very different now to the last time a team started the campaign with three one-twos in a row.

"Despite the statistics being racked up by Mercedes, I don't believe that 2019 will follow the same script as ‘92," said Brawn in a review of Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

"The three consecutive one-two finishes scored by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas are definitely down to a team that is operating to perfection at the moment, with a top notch technical package.

"But it’s also fair to say it is up against stronger opposition than was Williams back in ’92."

Britain's Nigel Mansell won the first five races of that season on his way to the title, with Williams' run of one-twos interrupted in Spain when Michael Schumacher finished second for Benetton with Ferrari's Jean Alesi third.

Williams then won the next race one-two and did it again in France and Britain.

Mansell ended up winning nine of the 16 races, with Riccardo Patrese taking only one, and scored more than twice as many points as Schumacher, his closest non-Williams rival.

Britain's five-times world champion Hamilton has won two of three races for Mercedes this year with team mate Bottas taking the opener in Australia.

Ferrari should have won in Bahrain, however, with Charles Leclerc on pole position and fastest until a late power unit problem while leading.

Reuters