Lewis Hamilton appeared downbeat at the season’s end, frustrated at the lack of Mercedes' progress after falling off its perch. But he comprehensively beat team-mate George Russell.
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His consistency and ability to reach the high notes that Russell could not achieve put him in the race for second in the drivers’ championship. Runner-up finishes in Melbourne, Barcelona and Mexico showcased excellent drives, as did his path to second at Austin (undone for a skid block-induced disqualification).
Until his first-lap Qatar retirement, he only strayed outside of the top six once, and his points-gathering carried Mercedes to second in the teams’ championship.
Mercedes reckons that it knew as early as its first shakedown with the W14 at Silverstone that it wasn't going to be a title fighter. Revisionism or not, its initial results after retaining the 'zero-pod' design philosophy prompted some degree of over-correction in statements given to the media and made upon its social channels, essentially disparaging the fruits of its own labour.
Source: Autosport