Let's talk Mercedes

[Nitrodaze]

For me they were just unlucky with on timing with the release with Gasly, I can't blame the pit crew for that one.

I think things are going to improve a lot for Merc now that two of the unsuited street circuits are out of the way.
Maybe its just the extended Merc dominance that has brainwashed me into thinking this way... but I'm still expecting Lewis to take the WDC this season.

I hear you, but l don't feel it at the moment. I know when Mercedes get the car right, Hamilton would crank forward and establish dominance. But this season, Redbull is genuinely faster than the Mercedes. And the way Verstappen is driving, he could win it if Mercedes do not get their act together. With a 26 points lead in the constructors for Redbull, this is the furtherest that Mercedes has been behind any team since 2018. They would need to be meticulous over the next five races to recover that deficit. And Bottas would need to get his form back up to his usual or he would put the team at risk.

The fact that Russell was able to jump in the car and perform better than him at Bahrain last season, suggests that he is very much at risk if his form remains as it is at the moment or at the next race. It is beginning to look very likely that Bottas may be jettisoned mid season with Russell or Ocon replacing him. I would think Russell more than Ocon.