Analysis | Is the Red Bull really the most dominant car in the Hamilton era?

Lewis Hamilton knew immediately. The Englishman looked left, kept his Mercedes on the right side of the track and Max Verstappen dashed past at high speed. As if the seven-time world champion was standing still, such was the difference with the Dutchman's Red Bull, which only saw his advance through the field end in second place.

It was not Mercedes' Grand Prix (again). Once again, the team of Hamilton and George Russell came up pretty short against Red Bull, which took its second one-two of the season with Sergio Perez and Verstappen. No competitor came close to the Austrian team, which - as is obvious by now this season - is in a class of its own. Hamilton was even very adamant afterwards: he called the Red Bull the most dominant F1 car he has ever seen in his career. But is that really the case?

Exceptional quality

Of course, it is always difficult to compare cars from different eras. Techniques change, rules are different, and drivers are of different quality. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that the current Red Bull is of exceptional quality. The proof is simply on the results sheet: in Saudi Arabia, the first non-Red Bull was driven at over 20 seconds, and earlier in Bahrain, it was even over 38 seconds.

It is certainly not the first time - during Hamilton's time in Formula 1 - that a car has stood out so much above the rest. Last time, it was Sir Lewis' own car that the rest of the field could not match. Take, for instance, the 2016 season, in which Hamilton and Nico Rosberg won no less than 16 out of 19 Grands Prix.

Dominant Mercedes in the past

Twelve times that year, the two Mercedeses finished in the top two spots, and fifteen times they were on the podium together. Only twice that year was there no Mercedes on the podium. That the best non-Mercedes was far behind (similar to what Red Bull is currently doing) was the rule rather than the exception.

So no, based on the two Grands Prix this season and a look at the past, it is impossible to conclude already that the RB19 is the most dominant F1 car in the Hamilton era. Probably the former champion is referring to another aspect of the Red Bull: the difference in top speed, especially in a DRS zone. In Saudi Arabia, when overtaking Hamilton - with the rear wing opened - Verstappen drove 22 kilometres faster than the Briton.

Maximum speed

The pure top speed of a car is best experienced during qualifying when the teams run their laps with as little fuel as possible and on the softest tyres possible. In Saudi Arabia, the Red Bull with Sergio Perez's Red Bull Powertrain (or rather Honda engine) tapped 337.8 kilometres per hour on the speedometer during qualifying. Max Verstappen reached 337.5 kilometres per hour at the same point.

Logan Sargeant was the fastest driver with a Mercedes engine with the seventh spot on the speed trap ranking. Hamilton ticked up to 329.7 kilometres per hour. That put him 12th. In the race, drivers drive with full(er) fuel tanks, which dampens top speed somewhat, and tyre choice and age also play a role. Still, the speed difference between the Mercedes and the Honda engine remained intact at the core, especially when DRS could be used.

The Red Bull is indeed the best car on the grid. The Austrians simply did their homework well. The reason that the difference is so great seems to be largely down to teams like Mercedes themselves. Their car is simply not strong enough. Then the dominance may seem greater than it basically should be.