Mid-season review: Mercedes, the end of a domination?

For seven years, Mercedes has dominated F1. Seven years of supremacy for the German team. Countless records with at least a 200-point lead in each season against its competitors, if we can call them that. In 2020, it took no less than seven races to already know the winner of this particular season. Mercedes had then won six out of the seven races. Out of the 17 races, the team’s drivers stood on the highest step 13 times and 25 times on the podium. A total domination.

In 2021, the ambitions remain the same: to crush the competition and win an eighth title. But the season is proving to be more difficult than expected for the German team. Mercedes is facing a formidable opponent: Red Bull. Never, since the beginning of the hybrid era, has the team been so close to losing its title. With 303 points, it is only 12 points behind its rival. Worse, Lewis Hamilton must not let go to prevent Max Verstappen from taking the lead in the championship. 8 points separate the two drivers.

Why such a change in level? It seems that this season, Red Bull has a better car and above all a more reliable one. During winter testing, we already had a taste. Mercedes’ lap times were far from their ambitions. However, they can count on the efficiency of their star driver, Hamilton. The Briton is achieving remarkable performances and keeping his team afloat, unlike Valtteri Bottas, who is struggling.

Hamilton for the big dipper?

At 36, the man now known as Sir Lewis Hamilton has only one goal. It is to win an eighth world championship title and finally beat Michael Schumacher to stand alone at the top of Formula 1. The Briton seems well on his way to achieving this. After a challenging start to the season, Hamilton has finally taken the lead in the championship before the summer break. It must be said that Verstappen is not giving up. He is aiming to win his first title before the beginning of a new era in F1. The two drivers are delivering an intense battle for our greatest pleasure.

Their duel obviously reminds us of the one with Rosberg in 2016. Hamilton had finally given in to his former teammate. Will he do the same thing this season? On the contrary, the seven-time world champion is determined to achieve his goal and to further cement his place in the history of this sport. For that, he will have to fight fiercely against the Dutchman, as seen at the start of the Grand Prix at Silverstone between the two which ended badly for Verstappen.

If his current teammate is not in great shape to help him, he can however rely on his mental strength and motivation. Despite the challenges, Hamilton clearly demonstrates the extent of his talent. At Silverstone, greatly assisted by his car’s performance, he climbed up the rankings to finish first by overtaking Charles Leclerc in the end, depriving the Monegasque of a first victory since 2019. In Hungary, he repeated his feat, but he did not, however, finish in first position. The Briton fought for so long that he collapsed at the end of the race. One thing is certain, Hamilton is more than determined to finish on top of the championship at the end of the season. And this time, he will have to do it without Bottas’s help.

Bottas in great suffering

Move forward and move on. That’s what Valtteri Bottas must think and do. A first part of the season already to forget. The Finnish driver is having his fifth season under the colors of Mercedes. With 6 podiums and 0 wins this season, Bottas remains true to himself, the eternal number 2 to Hamilton. While some teams might find these statistics satisfying, it is not the case for the German team and Bottas.

Since the title is not possible, Bottas must defend his seat at Mercedes. Another driver is pushing him towards the exit. It is George Russell, who is achieving good results behind the wheel of his Williams. He is eagerly waiting for his turn. For now, the Finn is still part of the German team. But his results this season have been disappointing. His crash in Hungary may make Toto Wolff think about his driver’s future. He has already retired three times, while his teammate has not retired since 2018 at the Austrian Grand Prix. The situation is serious for number 77 and he may already be thinking about his future. If he wants to keep his seat, he will have to double his efforts, starting with Belgium.

The teammates’ match

No surprises, Sir Lewis Hamilton outperforms his teammate. Whether in qualifying (8-3) or in races (9-2), Bottas can’t do anything to catch up with the Brit. The Finn, on the other hand, has shown several signs of nervousness during the season. He has not won any race, unlike Hamilton’s four victories. Yes, Bottas achieved six podiums, luckily, but it’s not enough to compete with his teammate. His three retirements have cost him dearly.

Before the start of the second part of the season, Mercedes regains its leading position. Hamilton is also in the lead with an eight-point advantage. All lights are green for the German team. However, be careful of the strong comeback from Red Bull and Verstappen. The Dutchman will want to catch up in the last two races and will seek to take the lead. For this, he will be able to rely on a better car than the Mercedes. The duel between the two drivers is far from over and promises an exceptional continuation to this season.