Mercedes Already Wrapped Up The Constructors Title
Over the weekend Mercedes came in first and third in the Japanese Grand Prix clinching the constructors title. Now it is also mathematically impossible for any other driver besides Hamilton or Bottas to win the title so Mercedes will also have the championship winning driver this year and another clean sweep. It was really no surprise as they have been the most consistent all season and other teams are striving for what they have. This is the 6th year in a row Mercedes have won the title and if we are honest with ourselves they look like they will do the same again next year. The team is that good at putting a complete package together and has all the areas covered.
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Red Bull moved away from Renault and returned to Honda engines and has seen them slowly improve and it looks as though they are getting their act together. I can see Red Bull challenging Ferrari for second position next season and maybe Mercedes the following season but both of them are still a way behind Mercedes. Honda went through a bad patch and know how to deliver a world championship package. The only reason why they dropped away was they focused more on other elements of their business during a restructuring phase in their company. They couldn't justify the millions being spent when they were getting rid of staff globally in cost cutting efforts. They are on the right track and expect to see them pushing the podium within two seasons.
Renault and Mc Laren have struggled this season along with Williams and McLaren looks as though they are popping out the pack now. Mclaren has been in the doldrums for many years and it seems as though they are getting to the root of whatever problems they had and just maybe will be in the top 5 again consistently. There is loads of behind the scenes work to deliver the right package and getting the car perfect. These teams are not there yet though and need to keep improving if they are not to fall behind the leading two.
Ferrari has been challenging since the August break and has 5 out of 5 pole positions. This tells us speed is not the problem and also they can maintain the speed all around the track so it isn't just straight line speed but something else holding them back now. The Ferrari is lacking in other areas compared to Mercedes and I would say it is a few things such as aero dynamics as the tire wear is not as good as the Mercedes.
I am no engineer or mechanic, but the Mercedes set up that they have on their car looks after its tires far better than a Ferrari and the drop off in performance maximizing the cars ability to perform lasts many laps more. Ferrari and Mercedes have massive teams and they are leaving the pack behind them and expect more of the same next season. The Ferrari package is very close, but we saw some new upgrades by Mercedes this last weekend which definitely improved the overall car performance.It is difficult to see exactly where each team is right now and if they are still miles apart.
I can understand why the FIA is introducing new rules to try and bring everyone closer, but I am not a fan of that as it should be up to the resources you have and use them accordingly. Sharing ideas goes against everything you would expect and secrecy is part of the intrigue that keeps fans more interested in this sport.
It sounds like it is going to be more and more important for teams to make sure they have skilled drivers in their cars. As more regulations are imposed it is going to be more important that you are able to handle the car well vs. the car actually being better than the other ones.
I agree as the driver that looks after the car will get better results. It has been surprising to see the difference in tire wear over this season. Mercedes had the luxury of pitting their drivers in windows that didn't hamper them and Ferrari had to come in even if their wasn't a window of opportunity. Getting a 20 second or 30 second buffer is the difference from rejoining the race in the same position against others losing spots.
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I think you're right @cryptoandcoffee; Mercedes still looks to be in a class of their own. But, I believe the fight will be a lot tighter next year and I'm already looking forward to many LeClerk vs Verstappen vs Hamilton dogfights in the near future :-)