There’s a lot of talk about this being the most dominant a season ever in F1 already, with Hamilton saying that the RB19 is the most dominant car he’s ever seen. Perhaps this is true because he was sitting in the one he was driving in 2014 and therefore couldn’t see it. Mercedes was the dominant force in Formula 1 between 2014 and 2016, winning three consecutive constructor championships during this period. The team was able to secure an impressive 51 wins out of 59 races, a success rate of nearly 86%. But just how dominant were they?
Let’s take a look at some technical details and lap times to get a better understanding of Mercedes’ dominance. Firstly, their car was powered by a turbocharged V6 hybrid engine, which was introduced in 2014 to replace the previous V8 engine. Mercedes’ engine was widely regarded as the best in the field, producing impressive levels of power and efficiency.
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In terms of lap times, Mercedes’ drivers regularly set the fastest laps in qualifying and race sessions. For example, in the 2015 Belgian Grand Prix, Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg set a pole position time of 1:47.197, which was over half a second faster than the second-placed Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel. In the race, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap of 1:52.497, over a second faster than the next fastest lap. Just look at some of these qualifying gaps which were the norm in 2014 to 2016 for Mercedes.
In the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, Mercedes’ dominance was once again on display. Hamilton secured pole position with a time of 1:23.837, nearly half a second faster than the next fastest time set by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. In the race, Mercedes’ drivers Hamilton and Rosberg finished first and second, respectively, with Hamilton setting the fastest lap time of 1:28.997.
Mercedes’ technical superiority was also evident in their ability to manage tire wear, particularly during the era of Pirelli’s controversial “degrading” tires. The team was able to extract the maximum performance out of their tires, allowing their drivers to maintain a consistent pace throughout the race.
Overall, it is clear that Mercedes was the dominant team in Formula 1 between 2014 and 2016. Their impressive record of 51 wins out of 59 races, combined with their technical superiority and ability to extract maximum performance out of their tires, is a testament to the team’s success during this period. While the team faced greater competition in subsequent years, their legacy as one of the most dominant teams in Formula 1 history is secure. While this might be an incredibly dominant Red Bull, it’s a little silly of Hamilton to already be calling it the most Dominant car he’s ever seen.
