Mercedes AMG Petronas

After many months of speculation, Mercedes have confirmed that Nico Rosberg will remain with the team for the 2017 and 2018 Formula One seasons.

Rosberg has established himself as an integral member of the team since arriving from Williams at the beginning of 2010, becoming the first German driver to win behind the wheel of a German car in the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix before helping Mercedes win two consecutive world championships in 2014 and '15.

The 31-year-old's place at the Silver Arrows had come under much scrutiny due to his troubled relationship with team-mate Lewis Hamilton, with the pair coming to blows on track on numerous occasions since Mercedes emerged as F1's dominant force.

It is done...https://t.co/oolmUCVrgx

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 22, 2016

But with the help of former McLaren and Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger, who oversaw negotiations on his behalf, Rosberg—a Mercedes man to the core—will represent the manufacturer for at least two more years.

As one of the more predictable events of silly season, particularly after Ferrari decided to keep Kimi Raikkonen for 2017, Rosberg's retention is unlikely to have a major impact on this year's driver market, yet the repercussions of the deal could be felt for years to come.

Here, we examine how Rosberg's contract extension may affect the team themselves, as well as Mercedes' answer to Max Verstappen and a driver who would have fancied his chances of partnering Hamilton in 2017.

Mercedes have stability for 2017 ahead of potential 2018 showdown

Throughout their time as Mercedes team-mates, the contracts held by Rosberg and Hamilton have always run to different expiry dates.

The three-year contract Hamilton signed to join the team was due to take him until the end of 2015, with Rosberg agreeing a deal until the close of 2016 halfway through the 2014 campaign.

When Hamilton penned a contract extension of his own ahead of last season's Monaco GP, taking him until the end of 2018, the attention again turned to the man on the other side of the garage.

The toing and froing between Hamilton and Rosberg in contractual terms has been almost as hectic as their on-track battles over the last three seasons, with Mercedes forced to negotiate a fresh deal every year and the drivers facing regular questions over their respective futures.

Rosberg: It's difficult to be friends with Hamilton - https://t.co/EMRPaue1b5 #F1 pic.twitter.com/L6rDxqP3fv

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) July 19, 2016

Rosberg's commitment until the end of 2018, then, will give the team valuable stability ahead of the major regulation changes in 2017—when their dominance is likely to come under threat—as well as allowing the drivers to focus solely on racking up further grand prix wins and championships.

But it could also signal the beginning of the end of the Hamilton-Rosberg partnership.

Although Mercedes have one of the finest driver pairings on the current grid, their lineup will begin to look tired come the beginning of 2019, when both men—having spent six seasons together—will be fast approaching their 34th birthdays.

With that in mind, the 2018 season may see Hamilton and Rosberg competing not only for a potential world title, but for the opportunity to be retained alongside an emerging talent.

As Toto Wolff explained, per F1 journalist Tobi Gruner, signing both drivers until the end of 2018 has given Mercedes several "opportunities to play with."

Pascal Wehrlein facing a long road toward a Mercedes seat

Pascal Wehrlein may only be halfway through his debut season in F1, but the "little prince" of Mercedes has made no secret of his desire to be fast-tracked to a championship-winning car in the style of Verstappen.

"I am ready, for sure," the 21-year-old told the official F1 website in May when asked if he would be a suitable replacement for Rosberg in 2017, insisting he wants to "sit in a Mercedes cockpit as fast as possible."

Wehrlein's points finish for the lowly Manor team in June's Austrian GP, on an afternoon Rosberg was penalised for shoving Hamilton off track on the final lap, had the potential for the youngster to emerge as a credible alternative for next season.

But in agreeing a two-year contract extension with Rosberg, Mercedes—as cautious, careful and meticulous as ever—have condemned their protege to an apprenticeship of at least three seasons.

Oh hey @PWehrlein. Looks like you had fun then! #GoodwoodFOS #F1 pic.twitter.com/INwcMXsN81

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) June 25, 2016

Ahead of the Hungarian GP weekend, Wehrlein—perhaps aware that confirmation of Rosberg's new deal was imminent—admitted he would be "happy" to stay with Manor for a second season in 2017, suggesting the team can make major progress under the new regulations, per Crash.net.

The benefits of remaining in a stable, low-pressure environment are obvious for a young driver, but how will Mercedes manage Wehrlein's progression in 2018?

Will they ensure he graduates to the midfield with one of their more established customer teams—Williams or Force India, with whom he tested in 2015—for his third season in F1?

Or will they be comfortable moving Wehrlein from one end of the grid to the other in a single step, selecting him as a successor to Hamilton and Rosberg after three years in modest Manor machinery?

Either way, the little prince will be forced to wait some time yet before becoming king.

Fernando Alonso must make McLaren-Honda work or return to Renault

As Rosberg's negotiations dragged on, it was safe to assume Fernando Alonso was lurking in the background, waiting for an opportunity to pounce.

This, after all, is the man who openly admitted trying to engineer a seat swap with Hamilton in late 2014 when the British driver was discussing a contract extension with Mercedes, per Spanish radio station Cadena Ser (h/t Motorsport.com's Jonathan Noble).

Alonso famously failed to pull off that masterstroke, and when Sebastian Vettel stole his seat at Ferrari—and Red Bull immediately blocked one of the Spaniard's potential destinations by promoting Daniil Kvyat—the two-time world champion was sentenced to a return to the McLaren-Honda team.

A McLaren-Honda team who have scored points in just 10 of the 29 races since the beginning of 2015.

In May, Wolff told Spanish publication El Mundo (h/t F1i.com's Phillip van Osten) Alonso would be among the "other options" considered by Mercedes if Rosberg was unable to agree a new deal, referring to him as "one of the best drivers in history" and praising his immense speed and motivation.

It was almost as though Wolff, through sheer sympathy for Alonso, felt a moral obligation to present him with a car capable of winning that elusive third title.

Yet the most complete driver of his generation has once again been overlooked and, with seats at Ferrari and Red Bull off limits, Alonso has no choice but to persevere with McLaren, whom he says are best placed to end Mercedes' dominance of F1 despite their current struggles, per Autosport (h/t Eurosport).

Whether he truly believes that is another matter entirely, however, and it is still plausible that he could fall back onto the safety net we know as Renault, where he tends to flee whenever things don't quite go to plan at other teams.

Upon the manufacturer's return to F1 at the beginning of 2016, Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn admitted he would be interested in signing Alonso for a third time when his McLaren contract expires at the end of next season, per Spanish newspaper AS (h/t Sky Sports' James Galloway).

It is unclear whether Alonso will finish his career with McLaren or make yet another return to Renault, but it is almost certain that if he is to end his wait for a third championship, he will have to beat, not join, Mercedes.

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Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton collided on the final lap of Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix, the third incident between the Mercedes team-mates in the last five Formula One races.

Immediately following the race, Mercedes executive director Toto Wolff said it might be time to consider implementing team orders to control his drivers. Such a decision, though, would be bad for the sport, bad for F1 fans and bad for the Mercedes team and its reputation.

Hamilton and Rosberg have been each others' only real rivals for the drivers' championship since 2014, and Hamilton has won the last two titles. Coming into the Austrian race, though, Rosberg was leading Hamilton by 24 points, thanks to his five victories against his team-mate's two.

Back in 2014, when Rosberg clipped Hamilton in Belgium, ultimately ending the Brit's race, Mercedes committed to allowing their drivers to race for the championship and not issue team orders. That attitude continued through 2015, when, for instance, Rosberg was upset with Hamilton for pushing him wide at start of the U.S. Grand Prix.

At various times, though, Wolff has hinted that the team would do whatever was needed to ensure they continue scoring the best possible results.

For example, after last year's Chinese Grand Prix, he said, "We wouldn't freeze [the race] or anything like this, but it could be a situation when we need to manage them more," per ESPN F1's Laurence Edmondson.

Despite Mercedes' dominance over the past three years, which has negatively affected the level of competition in the sport, they have bought themselves respect by allowing their drivers to race.

Following the crash in Austria, if they do apply team orders, they risk losing that respect and taking the heel turn that Ferrari and Red Bull did their reigns atop the sport in the early 2000s and early 2010s, respectively.

"It seems that talking doesn't bring us any further, so we need to think about all possible solutions and this can go as far as implementing the not-very-popular team orders," Wolff told Sky Sports' Simon Lazenby and Johnny Herbert in the Red Bull Ring pit lane after the race.

Pushed on whether Mercedes would actually implement team orders, he said, "This is on the table now. This is what we are going to discuss, because maybe that's the only way we can manage the situation."

Still, Wolff acknowledged that exercising that level of control over his drivers is something of a last resort.

"I hate team orders," he said. "I think we owe it to the fans to let them race and we like it. It's why we are here. But if every race ends up in a collision between team-mates, it's not what we want, and this is why we have to stop it."

Any mention of team orders usually draws intense backlash, but there is nothing inherently wrong with them. F1 is a team sport and, as in all team sports, sometimes one player (or driver) must sacrifice their own personal glory for the good of the team.

Of course, F1 is slightly different, because team-mates are also racing against each other. That is why Mercedes have been praised for not squashing that intra-team competition by stage-managing the races.

If the latest incident causes a change in that policy, though, Mercedes will face negative publicity and significant resentment from the fans.

And it is for exactly that reason that the team should ultimately decide against such a change. Why would a company using its F1 team as an advertisement to sell road cars intentionally alienate fans of the sport?

HAM: "I was on the outside. It wasn't me that crashed" 📻#AustrianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/xB6qI3YlAX

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 3, 2016

Or, to look at it another way, how would the Silver Arrows benefit from implementing team orders?

Mercedes are virtual locks to take both the drivers' and constructors' titles again this year (no matter what Sebastian Vettel thinks).

Vettel and his Ferrari team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen, are Rosberg's closest non-Merc pursuers, 57 points adrift in the drivers' table. And Mercedes lead Ferrari by 103 points in the constructors' championship. Meanwhile, Hamilton trails Rosberg by just 11 points.

Favouring one driver over the other does not make sense while they are so close to each other and so far ahead of the competition. No one wants another flare-up of the ridiculous conspiracy theories from earlier this season.

But, as usual, there are many nuances to the situation that a blanket statement against team orders does not take into account.

If it comes down to the last couple races and one driver is clearly ahead, but is facing a challenge from, say, Vettel, then team orders could be justified.

Team orders, used judiciously, do have a legitimate place in the sport. 

In fact, Mercedes have already applied team orders in specific situations where they do make sense. In Monaco, earlier this year, Rosberg was struggling for pace and the team asked him to let Hamilton pass. He did and Hamilton went on to win the race.

Wolff was understandably angry in the immediate aftermath of the Austrian Grand Prix, but once he has time to speak with the drivers and the rest of the Mercedes management team, he will likely realise that the team has more to lose than to gain by implementing team orders on a regular basis.

Just as long as Hamilton and Rosberg don't take each other out again next weekend at Silverstone.

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During preparations for the European Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, Mercedes executive director Toto Wolff said Ferrari and Red Bull were essentially level with Mercedes' performance.

"The speed of both the Ferrari and Red Bull is pretty much where we are now," he said, per ESPN F1's Nate Saunders. "... We are seeing the convergence of performance between teams that naturally comes with stable regulations—and that has made the competition tougher than ever."

That is true, to some extent. Ferrari and Red Bull are definitely getting quicker relative to Mercedes. But the results of Sunday's race in Baku showed it is premature to say the chasers are now on par with Mercedes (winners, lest we forget, of seven of the eight grands prix so far this season).

After out-qualifying Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel by more than a second on Saturday evening, Nico Rosberg led the entire race for Mercedes and won by nearly 17 seconds from Vettel. Ricciardo, the highest-placed Red Bull driver, was more than a minute behind on a track whose long straights did not suit the Bulls.

But this result was not an anomaly. Mercedes still have the best chassis and power unit combination on the grid.

Rather, the previous three races lulled us (and Wolff, perhaps) into a false impression of Ferrari and Red Bull's improved performance.

In Spain, Rosberg qualified 0.400 seconds ahead of Ricciardo and almost a full second ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in the nearest Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton, in the other Mercedes, was even quicker, taking pole by 0.280 seconds from his team-mate.

When the two Mercs infamously collided on the opening lap, they were already well in front of the rest of the field. Max Verstappen ended up winning the race for Red Bull—their first since Belgium 2014—but it is unlikely he or anyone else would have beaten the two Mercedes had they not crashed.

In Monaco, Ricciardo should have won, but for his team's mistake in the pits. The Circuit de Monaco, though, is unlike any other on the calendar. In particular, engine power is not nearly as important there as anywhere else. To illustrate that point, Hamilton set the fastest race lap in Monaco at an average speed of 154.135 km/h. Rosberg had the fastest lap at the next race, in Canada, at an average speed of 207.669 km/h.

Those lower speeds in the principality suit Red Bull perfectly, as Renault continues to play catch-up with Mercedes in the power unit department.

Finally, in Canada, Vettel made one of the greatest starts Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene had ever seen and led Hamilton for the early part of the race. It seemed he even had a chance to win, but Mercedes had a better pit stop strategy and Hamilton hung on for the victory.

So, does one friendly fire incident, one unique track and one great start mean Red Bull and Ferrari have caught Mercedes?

The answer from Baku was an emphatic, "No!"

Rosberg was never in danger en route to what Autosport's Lawrence Barretto called "a crushing victory." The championship leader set his fastest lap of the day on Lap 48 of 51 and probably could have beaten Vettel by more than 17 seconds, but limits on gearboxes and engine parts mean teams are keen to see their drivers back off when possible.

"Surely it's not great news but all weekend they've been very, very quick," Vettel said of the Mercs in the post-race press conference. "First session, after four laps they were putting lap times in that took us the probably the whole day to copy."

To be fair, Baku, like Monaco, is a track with many distinct characteristics. The most notable is the massive, 1,500-metre straight at the end of the lap, the longest on the calendar. However, unlike Monaco, Baku is a proper test of the power units—and Mercedes did not come up lacking.

After qualifying, Vettel suggested that engine power was not Ferrari's biggest problem, per Autosport's Stuart Codling and Lawrence Barretto.

That may be true, but Mercedes-powered cars (and usually the Silver Arrows themselves) dominated the tops of all the top-speed charts throughout the weekend. In the race, Hamilton's maximum speed at the start/finish line was 364.4 km/h, while Vettel's was 352.2 km/h.

In qualifying, Rosberg was tops through the speed trap at 334.8 km/h, whereas Vettel managed just 325.0 km/h.

"It was a pretty straightforward afternoon. There was only one small concern when I was down on power" @nico_rosberg pic.twitter.com/D0bGxtd8WC

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) June 19, 2016

Of course, the teams have much more sophisticated data than is available publicly, but it is difficult to interpret those numbers to mean anything other than Mercedes' continued engine superiority.

The next two races are at high-speed circuits in Austria and Great Britain, where Mercedes should again be strong. After that, the series moves to Budapest, whose narrow, twisting Hungaroring is often compared to Monaco. Vettel won there last year for Ferrari and Ricciardo took victory in 2014 for Red Bull.

With Hamilton finishing fifth in Baku after a disappointing qualifying performance, Rosberg's lead in the drivers' championship is back up to 24 points. Vettel is 45 points behind Rosberg, but it looks like this year's title chase will be a straight fight between the two Merc drivers once again.

Ferrari and Red Bull are improving, but so are Mercedes. The European Grand Prix should serve as a reminder that, although Ferrari and the Bulls might challenge Mercedes at certain tracks or in certain circumstances, they are not quick enough yet to beat them regularly, despite widespread desire for a close championship fight.

All timing and speed data is from the FIA's official website.

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MONTREAL — Lewis Hamilton had a question when he arrived for his post-qualifying media session at the Canadian Grand Prix. After taking a quick glance at the television in the Mercedes hospitality unit, where Nico Rosberg and others were watching the England-Russia Euro 2016 match, which was in its 54th scoreless minute, he asked, "How is it possible that England's not friggin' scored yet?"

A similar question was being asked in Formula One circles for the first five rounds of the 2016 season, where, for a variety of reasons, Hamilton was unable to replicate his dominance from the previous two years.

Unlike England, which finally did break through and score, only to concede a tying goal a short time later, Hamilton followed up his maiden 2016 victory in Monaco with an emphatic win Sunday at a cold and windy Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Hamilton may still be behind his team-mate, Rosberg, in the drivers' standings, but he has retaken control of a season that was in danger of slipping away from him.

"My first weekend without any problems... apart from the start!" @lewishamilton #F1 #CanadianGP https://t.co/vSGIw4lwAC

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 12, 2016

The defending champion demonstrated a renewed confidence in his car in an aggressive first-corner move that Rosberg could not answer. "There's never been a doubt this year in terms of my speed, in terms of what I can do in the car," he said. He just needed the car to show it.

The Merc drivers collided two races ago, in Spain, ending both their races on the first lap, and there was more drama in Canada, where they started first and second on the grid. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel jumped both Silver Arrows with a stunning start (Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene said it was one of the greatest he had ever seen) before Hamilton and Rosberg touched wheels at Turn 1, sending the latter across the grass and, ultimately, down to 10th place.

An unhappy-looking Rosberg skipped his scheduled post-race media session, but he received no sympathy from Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda. "It was a normal incident in the first corner," said the three-time world champion. "Nobody's fault; this is clear."

Lauda said he had a simple message for Rosberg, as well, telling him, "These things can happen and it was as it was."

Hamilton said he was on the racing line and suffered understeer as Rosberg tried to pass him on the outside. "Sometimes you make it 'round the outside and sometimes you don't," he said.

"It was a hard manoeuvre," acknowledged Mercedes executive director Toto Wolff, who was reluctant to go into great detail. "Lewis said that he had an understeer. That's what I would say."

"We touched and I was off and that's it," said Rosberg, per Sky Sports' Pete Gill. "It didn't work out, I was very pissed off in that moment but that's racing in the end and it's my job to make sure I'm in front after a battle like that next time."

NR: I was alongside Lewis and tried around the outside. I had to try or accept I'd be behind him. #F1 #CanadianGP pic.twitter.com/8CDcAwXXtB

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) June 12, 2016

Rosberg's frustration is understandable, particularly as the 43-point lead he enjoyed after the Russian Grand Prix is now down to nine. Hamilton's move was fair, though, defending his position in the inevitable first-corner jumble.

Still, Hamilton conceded, "The start was unfortunate. ... I know how hard everyone in the factory works for us to finish one-two, so, ultimately, that is the goal and it doesn't feel great when we don't finish one-two."

With Rosberg falling down the field, Hamilton set off in pursuit of Vettel. The Ferrari driver dove into the pits when a virtual safety car was deployed on Lap 11 of 70, allowing the marshals to clear Jenson Button's stricken McLaren.

Mercedes elected to keep Hamilton out and switch from a two-stop to a one-stop strategy, while Vettel's early stop meant he would need to pit again.

Afterwards, Hamilton was grateful for the team's decision, although he admitted to some apprehension during the race. "They did a great job in choosing the strategy today and when they said it, Plan B, I was thinking, 'I don't know if I'm going to be able to make these tyres last for Plan B,'" he said.

Asked if the team knew Hamilton could make it to the end of the race on just one stop, Lauda said, "We knew that, so we did the right decision. Lewis drove a fantastic race and he won the race himself."

With 5⃣, @LewisHamilton has more wins in Montreal than at any other circuit #CanadianGP 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/dmKiyv4EhH

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 12, 2016

Hamilton made his lone pit stop on Lap 24, temporarily handing the lead back to Vettel until the German's second stop, on Lap 37. From there, it was a race to the finish.

As he did in Monaco, Hamilton managed his tyres masterfully and kept Vettel at bay, never allowing the Ferrari driver to get within four seconds of his car. To illustrate Hamilton's skill at keeping the tyres alive, he set his fastest lap of the race on Lap 68. His soft-compound Pirellis were 44 laps old at the time.

This is the Hamilton we saw last year: confident, adaptable and dominant.

Rosberg, meanwhile, recovered to finish fifth, but he has now gone three races without a win after taking seven in a row, dating back to the end of 2015.

Mercedes' poor starts are still a worry, and both Hamilton and Wolff seemed at a loss to explain why they continue to happen. Overall, though, Mercedes still have the best car, even if Ferrari and Red Bull are slowly closing the gap.

In Monaco, Red Bull's unforced error handed victory to Hamilton. In Canada, though, Mercedes outsmarted Ferrari and Hamilton outdrove Vettel.

People might be wondering what is wrong (this time) with England's football team, but there are no longer any such worries about Hamilton. If there was any doubt before, he is now the definite favourite to add to his three world championships, even if there are still 14 races to go.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.

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In 2015, a pit stop error cost Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton the Monaco Grand Prix.

On Sunday, a mistake in the pits by the Red Bull team handed him a victory in the principality. 

Pit stops are always important in Formula One, but that importance is magnified in Monaco's tight confines, where overtaking is so difficult. Despite looking quicker for most of Sunday's race, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was left sitting in his pit box for about 10 seconds, waiting while the team scrambled to find the correct tyres for his car.

The delay allowed Hamilton to jump into the lead, where he stayed for the final 46 laps of the race.

Hamilton's win is a welcome result for anyone hoping for a close fight in the drivers' championship. His team-mate, Nico Rosberg, had a 39-point lead heading into the Monaco race after winning the first four grand prix races of the season. That gap is now down to 24 points (a win is worth 25) after Rosberg finished seventh in Monaco.

Rosberg's winning streak, which included the final three races of 2015, ended with Max Verstappen's surprise victory earlier in May at the Spanish Grand Prix. Mercedes have not gone two races in a row without a win since the Hungarian and Belgian Grand Prix races back in the summer of 2014, but it nearly happened in Monaco.

Instead, Hamilton drove a perfect race in tricky wet-to-dry conditions, taking advantage of Red Bull's error and the tight confines of the Monte Carlo streets to steal his first win of the season.

I love my team, thank you  #MonacoGP @MercedesAMGF1 photo by Steve Etherington pic.twitter.com/xn9Wr7Nges

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) May 29, 2016

In a televised interview after the race, Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Mercedes parent company Daimler AG, told Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz the win was important for Hamilton's confidence and to even out the "imbalance" in the team.

That was a reference to the mechanical issues Hamilton has suffered throughout the season, including during Monaco qualifying. Those problems cost him a chance at victory in China and Russia and led to wild claims of a conspiracy in favour of Rosberg.

On Sunday, it was Rosberg's turn to suffer—this time with a brake problem.

Ricciardo started on pole after a brilliant qualifying lap, with Rosberg and Hamilton behind him. The first seven laps were run behind the safety car as the track slowly dried. By Lap 15, Rosberg was 13 seconds behind the Red Bull and clearly holding Hamilton back. The team asked him to let Hamilton through and he obliged.

When Ricciardo pitted on Lap 23 to switch from wet tyres to intermediate, Hamilton stayed out, allowing him to take the lead. As the track continued to dry, the intermediate tyres were clearly faster, but Ricciardo could not find a way past Hamilton.

Finally, Hamilton pitted for slick tyres on Lap 31, with Ricciardo staying out for an extra lap. The Aussie should have rejoined back in the lead, but his team did not have the correct supersoft tyres ready for him.

"Basically there was a miscommunication as to what tyres were in the garage at what time," team principal Christian Horner explained after the race, per Autosport's Ben Anderson and Matt Beer.

"There was a scramble, with the mechanics originally having the soft tyre ready."

Ricciardo's assessment on the podium was more laconic: "Two weekends in a row I've been screwed now."

The quote referenced a lead he held in Spain before an extra pit stop put him behind Verstappen and the two Ferraris.

For Hamilton, though, Red Bull's mistake may be just what he needs to turn his season around. And as heartbreaking as the race was for Ricciardo, it is hard to argue Hamilton did not deserve to win. On a day when so many drivers got it wrong, ending the race planted in the Armco barriers, Hamilton executed a difficult strategy perfectly and held off a determined Ricciardo.

Last year, Hamilton was ecstatic to qualify on pole, but an ill-timed pit stop cost him the race. This year was the exact opposite: disappointment in qualifying and ecstasy in the race.

On Saturday in the post-qualifying press conference, after qualifying behind Ricciardo and Rosberg, Hamilton said, "I don't really expect too much from tomorrow. I'm going in with the goal, of course, of trying to overtake the two cars in front—but we shall see."

We did see.

And while drivers are understandably loath to gloat over the misfortune of a team-mate, Hamilton will no doubt take some private satisfaction from Rosberg facing some of the adversity he had experienced so far this year (evening out the imbalance Zetsche referred to).

On the other hand, despite winning the race, Mercedes cannot be completely satisfied with the result. Rosberg's brake issues show that the team are still struggling to find the reliability that impressed everyone so much in the preseason.

Luckily for Mercedes, Ferrari have not had the pace to challenge them regularly, but Red Bull are steadily improving.

Hamilton's win signals a renewed battle in the drivers' championship, but could Red Bull or Ferrari also take the fight to Mercedes in the constructors'?

The Canadian Grand Prix is next, which places much more emphasis on engine power (Mercedes' greatest strength) than Monaco did.

"If we can be quick in a couple of weeks, then I think we can be quick really for the remainder of the season," Ricciardo said in the post-race press conference. "If we can fight for a podium in Canada then we should be able to fight everywhere else."

After seven long months without a win, though, Hamilton will not be worried about Red Bull and Ferrari—not right now.

For now, he is back where he belongs, in the middle of the championship fight. 

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The only surprising thing about Lewis Hamilton's collision with Nico Rosberg at the Spanish Grand Prix is that it did not happen sooner. For more than two years, the Mercedes team-mates have been duelling head-to-head for Formula One championships, yet this is the first time they have both retired from a race due to a crash with each other.

Since the beginning of 2014, Hamilton and Rosberg have started alongside each other on the front row 30 times. There have been a few close calls—think back to last year in Japan and the United States—but the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix is the only other race where a collision between the team-mates cost Mercedes points (Hamilton was eventually forced to retire after Rosberg clipped the back of his car on the second lap).

Who caused Mercedes' race-ending #SpanishGP crash? Here's Nico's view. Read more >> https://t.co/DW40Wh4V3C https://t.co/NmoRMHPbMD

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 16, 2016

Maybe the only positive for Mercedes to take away from the latest incident in Barcelona is the team's brain trust learned from what happened in Spa nearly two years ago. The two incidents are similar, but not identical, although Mercedes handled the Barcelona crash more efficiently, which should benefit the team in the long term.

Back in 2014, just to refresh our memories, the controversy dragged on for a week before Rosberg issued what looked like a forced apology.

And while Rosberg took the majority of the criticism and blame for hitting his team-mate, Hamilton admitted in a statement on his own website that, "We have both made mistakes and I feel it would be wrong to point fingers and say which one is worse than the other."

Mercedes also released a statement saying "suitable disciplinary measures have been taken," but declined to name them.

While there is an argument to be made for allowing everyone to cool off before discussing a crash, as Mercedes did two years ago, the team was more decisive last Sunday in Spain. Despite the difficult and disappointing situation in Barcelona, where the team potentially lost 43 points, clearing the air immediately should allow everyone involved to move on more quickly. 

Each driver will naturally want to blame the other for the crash, but the team accepted the stewards' decision that it was a racing incident. "Today was just a couple of unfortunate coincidences that ended up in us losing as a team," executive director Toto Wolff said, according to Autosport's Ian Parkes and Matt Beer.

#ICYMI: Here's what the stewards made of it all...#F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/yAfdKqBeQL

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 16, 2016

While nonexecutive chairman (and three-time world champion) Niki Lauda blamed Hamilton on Sky Sports' television coverage in the immediate aftermath of the crash, Wolff told the official F1 website, "Well, Niki has his very own view on things—and that is fair enough. But probably when you have all the data and have talked to the drivers the picture will be slightly different."

Jackie Stewart, another triple world champion, also offered his opinion, per F1i.com's Phillip van Osten, saying, "That's not the way to win, not consistently. Hamilton is to blame. Rosberg is allowed to protect himself. You don't go for it on the first lap."

But Wolff's view is the correct one, even if it is unpopular with some of the fans and former drivers calling for blood. Both drivers made split-second decisions that—unfortunately for the team—resulted in a crash. Once Hamilton committed to the gap he saw, he still did everything he could to avoid a collision, even driving onto the grass when Rosberg left him no room on the circuit.

It was an embarrassing situation for Wolff and the rest of the team to have both of their cars out on the first lap, particularly with Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Mercedes parent company Daimler AG, watching from the team garage. But even so, Wolff refused to throw either of his drivers to the waiting wolves.

After the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton won six of the final seven races to clinch the drivers' championship. Was Rosberg's confidence shaken after shouldering the blame for the Spa crash, or was Hamilton galvanized by his frustration? Perhaps both, but what is certain is that the race marked a turning point in the championship.

It is hard to say which driver benefits (if you can call it that) most from the crash last Sunday: Rosberg, who maintained the points gap to Hamilton, but now with one fewer race, or Hamilton, by not allowing Rosberg to further extend his lead. Either way, Wolff clearly wanted to avoid the Spanish Grand Prix becoming a flash point in the still-young season.

Mercedes needs both its drivers clear-headed and focused if they are to fend off the coming charges from Red Bull and Ferrari. Blaming one driver over the other could have had a detrimental effect on that man's confidence going forward, but Mercedes are continuing their long-stated goal of putting both drivers on equal footing.

The official reaction to the Barcelona crash (rather than Lauda's shots from the hip) reflects this. Wolff is standing behind his drivers—both of them—giving them the confidence to continue pushing the limits. 

Mercedes have already taken some criticism from Stewart and others for being too lenient with Hamilton, but just a couple of weeks ago, the team had to deny rumours of a conspiracy against Hamilton. We can't have it both ways, people!

In the end, Mercedes acted in the best interests of the team. They have won the last two drivers' and constructors' championships and are well on their way to a third of each one. Maybe we should give Wolff and the rest of the management team the benefit of the doubt.

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Lewis Hamilton suffered engine problems in last Sunday's Russian Grand Prix, the second race in a row where a defective energy recovery system (followed by a water-pressure issue in Russia) cost him a chance at victory.

Cars break down all the time in Formula One. They are on the very limit of performance, driving at more than 300 km/h, braking heavily several times per lap and changing gears thousands of times in a two-hour race. Usually, when a driver retires due to a mechanical failure, it is acknowledged as bad luck.

But something weird happened after Hamilton's problem in Russia (which didn't cause him to retire, by the way—he still finished second). People started taking to Twitter to voice their opinions that Mercedes were deliberately sabotaging Hamilton in favour of Nico Rosberg, who has now won seven straight races dating back to last season.

Here is a small sampling from Twitter:

Mercedes are really doing a good job at giving Hamilton issues... A little bit of fixing going on here? @MercedesAMGF1

— Stano (@Stano328) April 30, 2016

Lewis hamilton back on track!! well done lad, despite Mercedes attempt to sabotage him!!! shame on you MERCEDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

— C.L.Ryan (@CLRyan_Books) May 1, 2016

I am not a conspiracy theorist by any means but let's see what happens at the next race with Lewis Hamilton's bad luck at Mercedes #sabotage

— LynneG (@lynger2000) April 30, 2016

#Hamilton with another engine failure I smell sabotage at Mercedes.

— IG: bongslionteria (@bongslionteria) April 30, 2016

F1 is a sport shrouded in secrecy, as teams are loath to reveal anything that might help their competitors. And, as is often the case in an information vacuum, conspiracy theories are popular in the sport.

But those theories do not usually involve teams sabotaging themselves. And why would they?

Teams are paid based on where they finish in the constructors' championship. Anything that takes points from their drivers—whether it is a mechanical failure, a penalty or a crash—can impact the teams' bottom lines.

The online conspiracy chorus grew loud enough on Sunday that Hamilton, Mercedes executive director Toto Wolff and non-executive chairman Niki Lauda were all asked about it during Sky Sports' broadcast.

"I don't know where the issues are coming from but for sure the team and guys in the background, they need to work hard to try and rectify these," said Hamilton.

"The last thing we would do is sabotage Hamilton—he's a great friend to us," Wolff said before the race. "He's a lovely person within the team and we feel awful because he's not been able to perform the best and we are letting him down."

Lauda, as usual, was more blunt. "This is bulls--t," he said. "I hate these talks because there are 1,100 people who all try to do their best for both cars. Otherwise we would have never got here."

Even those denials were not enough for some, though, and Mercedes released an open letter on Wednesday explaining the situation again.

A letter to the fans... https://t.co/mmEB1hL9ZN #F1 pic.twitter.com/DGbp1mdL8E

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 4, 2016

But even if you don't believe Hamilton and the Mercedes leadership, common sense should tell you that a conspiracy against Hamilton from within the team is not rational.

First, the fact the same issue occurred twice with Hamilton's motor generator unit suggests it is simply a defect with the energy recovery system, rather than a deliberate ploy to slow him down.

Second, if the team wanted to limit Hamilton's points, why would they have chartered a plane to fly a new fuel system from the UK to Sochi, Russia, overnight on Saturday, as Wolff explained, per ESPN F1's Nate Saunders. And the why did they work through the early hours of Sunday morning to get Hamilton's car ready?

Third—and this is just an educated guess—but it wouldn't surprise me if some of the people talking about an anti-Hamilton conspiracy now are the same ones who touted a pro-Hamilton conspiracy at Mercedes in the past (see this from Jonathan Noble, then at Autosport, for an example).

I guess some people just do not understand the nature of sport. Yes, conspiracies and cheating do happen, but not every odd or seemingly unexplainable result is due to a vast, underhanded plot. Sometimes odd things happen—like Leicester City winning the Premier League or Rosberg beating Hamilton seven times in a row.

After all, if you could predict every result before it happened, what would be the point of watching?

Hamilton is a massive star with appeal that transcends the boundaries of his sport into pop culture. If he continues to win, it only helps to further the reach of the Mercedes brand. Deliberately undermining him would not only hurt Mercedes in the short term—unreliability is never a good look for an automaker—but imagine the long-term effects on the company if such a conspiracy ever became public (as these things tend to do).

It is fine for Hamilton fans to be angry or frustrated that their driver is not winning, but accusing his team of deliberately sabotaging him? It just doesn't make any sense.

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In the end, it didn't matter in the slightest.

With a cloud of white smoke and that familiar sound of a squealing, overloaded front tyre, Nico Rosberg was off the track, running wide under braking for the tricky right-hander we know and love as Turn 13 of the Russian Grand Prix circuit.

At any other time in any other year, such an error in the final three minutes of a Formula One qualifying session would have almost certainly cost him dearly, inviting his closest competitors to shove him down the order.

But in the opening weeks of 2016? A season in which his rivals have all fallen before him and almost everything has worked in his favour? It meant nothing.

Nothing.

Rather than charging to the main straight to begin another flying lap as soon as possible, or scurrying to the sanctuary of the garage to regain his composure and receive a fresh set of super-softs, he simply coasted back to the pit lane.

"I gave it everything and more on the second lap and had a huge lock up, which is why I abandoned that attempt" #F1 pic.twitter.com/T5rzGpNnMX

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 30, 2016

He climbed out of his W07, sitting in the open air of the Mercedes pit box, after a mechanic leaned into the cockpit to presumably inform him of the state of play and put his off-track adventure into context.

Still wearing his crash helmet, he strolled toward the FIA weighbridge, waving to the grandstands in the process as Valtteri Bottas—among the eight drivers still seeking to improve their times—hurled his Williams FW38 around the 90-degree right-handers of Turns 4 and 5.

And, once the chequered flag had fallen and the scavengers had finished fighting between themselves for second place, he celebrated his 24th career pole position.

A pole position he managed to secure by an extremely comfortable margin of 0.706 seconds, per the official F1 website, despite completing just a single clean run in the third segment of qualifying.

After his victories in the first three races of the season in Australia, Bahrain and China, this was yet another afternoon when Rosberg benefited from the misfortune of others, with Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton both encountering difficulties.

Having lost track time in Friday practice due to what Ferrari's official website confirmed was an "electrical problem," Vettel took to the track in the shadow of a five-place gearbox-change penalty long before he succeeded in the battle for the best-of-the-rest spot in qualifying.

"We're usually stronger on Sunday," says Seb. Watch more #RussianGP #Quali reaction >> https://t.co/PrM6NYxbJb #F1 https://t.co/7waDyHaAPp

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 30, 2016

"I feel helpless for my guys. There's not much I can do to uplift them and not much they can do to uplift me" #F1 pic.twitter.com/ZIUPwuk2eJ

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 30, 2016

That left Hamilton, the only driver to stand on the top step of the Sochi Autodrom podium having dominated the 2014 and '15 events, as his only serious challenger.

But after out-pacing his team-mate in Q1, the three-time world champion was prevented from appearing in Q3 after suffering what Mercedes' Toto Wolff confirmed was "the same failure" he suffered in Shanghai, where Hamilton started from the rear of the field following a loss of power, per Motorsport.com's Charles Bradley.

So when Rosberg did lock up on his final run, making the kind of mistake he has frequently made in high-pressure scenarios for much of the last two years, there was nobody there to punish him for it.

"They’ve had some bad luck again this weekend. Seb with his gearbox and Lewis with his engine again" #F1 #RussianGP pic.twitter.com/o1W948UkVb

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 30, 2016

All good news for his pursuit of a first world championship, of course, but what for his reputation?

As noted by F1 statistician Sean Kelly, there remains a curious reluctance to recognise Rosberg's true qualities as a racing driver, despite his recent form and his status as the most frequent grand prix winner in F1 history without a championship to his name.

Such a perception is almost certainly linked to his rather meek performances alongside a driver of Hamilton's calibre for much of the last 18 months.

Sometimes I get the impression that if Rosberg won every race this season, people would still question if he could win the title. No credit

— Sean Kelly (@virtualstatman) April 17, 2016

I still rate Hamilton over Rosberg, but I find the dismissive attitude toward Rosberg's ability to be irritating #ChineseGP

— Sean Kelly (@virtualstatman) April 17, 2016

Even in success, however, that feeling only seems to be growing given the somewhat fortunate, slightly hollow nature of his early-season triumphs.

Yet to enjoy a trouble-free weekend, Hamilton has often stressed his team-mate has not faced a genuine test thus far, telling telling CNN how Rosberg, despite doing a "great job," has "had pretty much a breeze" in 2016 and warning the German to "enjoy it whilst it lasts."

And Rosberg has hardly helped himself in this regard, telling ESPN F1's Nate Saunders he was "pleased" but "not ecstatic" with pole in China due to his team-mate's problem before suggesting the "extremely unfortunate" sessions of Hamilton and Vettel will make his race "a little bit easier" in Russia, per the post-qualifying FIA press conference.

"I’m happy to have another pole. But tomorrow is a long race. I can never write off my opponents" #F1 #RussianGP pic.twitter.com/MHWDpwfFBx

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 30, 2016

With Vettel and Hamilton set to start from seventh and 10th, respectively, in Sochi, it is likely that Rosberg will extend his career-best winning streak—which began at last November's Mexican GP—to seven races and his lead in the drivers' standings beyond the 40-point mark.

As the serial world champions prepare to switch to damage-limitation mode once again, however, F1 should hope that an entirely even, three-way tussle between the leading contenders is on the horizon.

Not only to enhance the spectacle of the racing at the front of the grid, you see—or to revive interest in what is in serious danger of becoming a one-sided championship battle—but to finally put Rosberg's title-winning credentials beyond any doubt.

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And there we were thinking the 2016 Formula One season would be a fight of the ages between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.

Throughout those long, dark winter months, the thought of the two most successful drivers in the sport's recent history—one in the gleaming silver of Mercedes, the other in the hallowed scarlet red of Ferrari—stimulated many an F1 enthusiast.

With the Prancing Horse galloping close behind the Silver Arrows, it was difficult to envisage a scenario where Hamilton and Vettel wouldn't engage in an exclusive battle over the course of a 21-race campaign.

But one of the support acts has upstaged the stars of the show.

Despite losing out to Hamilton in the all-Mercedes affairs of 2014 and '15, it is Nico Rosberg who currently leads the drivers' standings after winning each of the opening three races in Australia, Bahrain and China and extending his career-best winning run—which began at last November's Mexican Grand Prix—to six.

Having extracted a maximum of 75 points from the first month of the season, Rosberg is already 36 ahead of Hamilton and a further six ahead of Vettel, both of whom face the challenge of hunting down the championship leader before it's too late.

So how has Rosberg, beaten in commanding fashion by his Mercedes team-mate for much of the last two years, suddenly found himself in such a comfortable position? Here are three reasons behind his near-perfect start to 2016:

Several slices of luck

For the first five hours of the new season, things weren't exactly going to plan for Rosberg.

He had damaged one of Mercedes' new noses after clouting the barrier in the wet second practice session in Australia, before running off track on his very first lap under the elimination-style qualifying format and requiring two separate attempts just to secure his customary place on the front row of the grid.

Ever since he lined up alongside Hamilton on Sunday afternoon at Albert Park, however, everything has gone his way.

His mistake of locking up at Turn 1 as the Mercedes drivers were ambushed by the Ferraris had the bonus effect of sending his team-mate wide and immediately out of race-winning contention, with Rosberg fortunate to avoid a puncture after Hamilton's front wing made slight contact with his rear-left tyre.

Sebastian Vettel's strategic error of retaining the super-softs following the red-flag stoppage meant Rosberg only had to stay within touching distance of the four-time world champion to be assured of victory, and Ferrari's frailties also helped him win in Bahrain.

Vettel's engine blowout on the formation lap saw one challenger eliminated before the race began, and the remaining two disappeared soon after as Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen made poor starts, the former assaulted by Valtteri Bottas at the first corner for good measure.

But even that was nothing compared to the chaos of China, where Rosberg's opponents fell over themselves in almost comical fashion.

Nailed to the back of the grid after an engine problem in qualifying, Hamilton was collected on the opening lap by Felipe Nasr, who was busy trying to avoid Raikkonen, who in turn was limping back to the pits after colliding with Vettel.

And the hopes of the only other driver capable of providing a semi-serious challenge to the No. 6 car, Daniel Ricciardo, evaporated after just three laps, when his Red Bull suffered a puncture on the back straight.

Hamilton—who has unfairly been accused of taking "his eye off the ball," as F1 journalist Kevin Eason told Sky Sports—has been particularly eager to point out his team-mate has benefited from the misfortune of others, telling CNN's Tom Sweetman how the German has "had pretty much a breeze" thus far.

Yet Rosberg surely deserves credit for capitalising on all those incidents and for not allowing himself to be dragged into the madness.

A happy end to 2015

At the time, Rosberg's victories in the final three grands prix of 2015 were dismissed as mere footnotes at the end of a chapter in which Hamilton cemented his greatness.

As impressive as his performances were in Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi, the lingering suspicion was they were simply a case of the No. 2 driver having a little fun after his Mercedes team-mate had completed the serious business of securing a third world championship.

But with his career-best winning streak bleeding into this year, the importance of those three "non-championship" races is becoming increasingly obvious.

Throughout that period, it was largely forgotten the final month of last season was the first time in two years—35 races to be precise—that Rosberg could compete without the stresses and strains associated with a title fight.

Rather than concerning himself with points gaps and the positions of his championship rivals, he was allowed to drive with an increased sense of freedom and rediscover his enjoyment of racing with little fear of the consequences.

That explained why Rosberg, once alarmingly submissive in direct combat with Hamilton, was refreshingly aggressive off the line in Mexico and Brazil and beat the No. 44 car to both pole and the win at Yas Marina—a venue where Hamilton is often formidable—with the return to winning ways providing a much-needed boost of confidence.

Confidence he has clearly carried into the early weeks of 2016.

It's now or never

As noted by F1 journalist Peter Windsor, Rosberg was among the two drivers who evaded the Melbourne Walk on the morning of the Australian GP, where the great and the good of the paddock normally spend several minutes signing autographs and posing for pictures upon their arrival at the circuit.

It offered a very early indication of the approach he has adopted for this season and how he is prepared to act a little more selfishly—no interference, no distraction—in what could be his last chance of becoming a world champion.

Despite telling Sky Sports' James Galloway of his confidence "there is going to be many more years to go here at Mercedes," his future at the team remains relatively uncertain after Toto Wolff implied Mercedes are willing to bide their time before offering Rosberg a new deal for 2017, per Autosport's Ian Parkes.

Rosberg's form in the opening month of 2016, as well as his seemingly healthier relationship with Hamilton—settled rather than simmering at this stage—would suggest a contract extension is edging ever nearer. 

But even if he does remain with the Silver Arrows for an eighth season, will Mercedes still be the team to beat in 2017?

On the evidence of their progress across the V6 turbo era, Ferrari are not going to disappear, and with next year's proposed regulation changes set to lead to an even greater emphasis on downforce, Red Bull—who have long been recognised as the best chassis designers in F1—will be offered a route back to the top.

What we are currently witnessing, then, is a driver with little consideration for the future who is fully aware this may be his final opportunity to fulfil his potential and is utterly determined to make the most of it.

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It almost seems to be turning into a routine for Nico Rosberg—another race, another win. The Mercedes driver won his sixth straight Formula One race on Sunday at the Chinese Grand Prix, extending his lead in the championship to 36 points over his team-mate, Lewis Hamilton.

And what to make of Hamilton, who has not stood on the top step of the podium since last October, at the U.S. Grand Prix? His results this season are trending in the wrong direction, as he finished second in Australia, third in Bahrain and now seventh in China.

Are Hamilton's recent results merely part of the normal ebbs and flows of grand prix racing, or has some complacency crept in after back-to-back championships? Or perhaps it is all just bad luck.

From the beginning of the 2014 season to Hamilton's title-clinching race in Austin, Texas, last year, the Brit won 21 of 35 grands prix. Rosberg won eight.

Hamilton followed Rosberg home at the final three races of 2015, but those could almost be written off as meaningless, given the championship was already decided.

"I didn't do what I had to do to win the championship because I already had won the championship," Hamilton explained to the official F1 website. "If you fight for the championship you have to bring that extra five or ten percent—after I had bagged the title I didn't need that anymore. I used my energy elsewhere."

This year, Hamilton qualified on pole at the first two races, but poor starts compromised him both times. In Australia, Rosberg pushed him wide at the first corner, demonstrating the tenacity and self-confidence that were usually Hamilton's calling cards when the team-mates went wheel-to-wheel over the last two years.

In Bahrain, Valtteri Bottas slammed into Hamilton at the start, but had the Brit gotten off the line as quickly as Rosberg, he would not have been anywhere near Bottas.

Finally, Hamilton's weekend in China was just one disaster after another: a penalty for changing his gearbox, problems with his energy recovery system and more damage at the start.

There are excuses for each of those six grands prix where Rosberg has come out on top, but eventually excuses do not matter anymore—only results. And right now, the results table is showing Rosberg far out in front.

Is @Nico_Rosberg starting to feel invincible...? #ChineseGP https://t.co/RKWTjwdGVi

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 17, 2016

Although not quite as far as Hamilton feared. When told his gap to Rosberg was 36 points, he responded, "That's not as bad as I thought," according to Autosport's Ian Parkes. "I feel pretty good right now.

"I thought it was 50 points, so I was like...wow!"

Such is Hamilton's talent that it would not really qualify as a surprise if he came back and won the next six races. But what if Rosberg has found a proverbial extra gear, and poor starts and car problems or not, he is simply the faster driver this year?

Continuing the same pre-season interview with the official F1 website, Hamilton said: "My sole focus is again on winning the title—but Nico also has grown, so I have to accept that he is exceptionally fast and so I also have to lift my bar again. I don't know how—but that is my goal."

I don't know how.

Is it possible that Hamilton has reached the limits of his performance after two of the most dominant seasons in F1 history? Meanwhile, Rosberg—surely the hungrier of the two men—is continuing to improve, able to get just that little bit extra out of his starts and translating it into better race performances.

Rosberg is enjoying a run of success, with those six consecutive wins, that even Hamilton has not managed in his storied career. Yet he knows that this early in the season, those wins do not really mean anything...not if they don't result in a title.

NR "But it’s a very long year ahead and there’s a lot of points still on the table, so I’m not losing my focus" pic.twitter.com/jmtRkcIamZ

— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) April 17, 2016

"Of course, I'm happy with the way it's gone, and I'm feeling good and the car's there, but I don't want to say more than that. Let's see," Rosberg said in the post-race press conference in China. "Of course, Lewis is not many points behind...and he's as focused and motivated as ever."

Rosberg knows how quickly a lead in the championship can disappear. In 2014, he was 29 points clear of Hamilton with just seven races remaining. Hamilton won the next five races en route to his first title with Mercedes.

The longer Rosberg's streak continues, though, the more his confidence will grow. By the time Hamilton clinched the title last year, Rosberg often looked and sounded defeated. Those final three races rejuvenated him, and he has carried that renewed momentum into 2016.

Hamilton might still come out on top, but he can no longer be considered the clear favourite he was before the season started. In fact, Rosberg is now the bookmakers' favourite, according to Oddschecker.

Hamilton should still receive the benefit of the doubt befitting a three-time champion, but after Sunday's race in Shanghai, his path to the title is looking more like it did in 2008 than in 2015.

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