Whats gone wrong at Mercedes and can Lewis Hamilton turn it around?
Lewis Hamilton trails Max Verstappen by 12 points in the standings following the Red Bull drivers victory in France on Sunday. Verstappens Red Bull team have taken the championship initiative by winning the past three races and lead Mercedes in the constructors table by 37 points. Here, we look at a battle which has lived up to its pre-season billing. Hamiltons Mercedes team have won the past seven drivers and constructors championships following the most dominant period Formula One has ever witnessed, with the Briton marching to six of the last seven individual titles. But the grids all-conquering team are in the midst of their sternest examination with Verstappen leading Red Bulls charge. Verstappen has long been earmarked as the heir to Hamiltons throne and now provided with a machine equal to, and probably better than Hamiltons Mercedes, the sport is enjoying one of its best seasons in recent memory with the two leading protagonists going wheel-to-wheel. Hamilton galloped to his record-equalling seventh world title with three rounds of last seasons Covid-disturbed calendar to spare, and following only minor tweaks to the regulations (ahead of a major technical overhaul in 2022) the Briton was expected to dominate again. But a mandatory rule change to floors of the cars  introduced to reduce downforce  has hurt Mercedes more than others. Red Bull have also raised their game, and in Verstappen have a driver more than capable of ending Hamiltons stranglehold in the sport. It also does not help Hamilton that his team-mate Valtteri Bottas is a man shot of confidence and fighting to save his seat. Very. The seven-time world champion drove brilliantly at the opening round in Bahrain and then in Spain and Portugal to beat Verstappen in a largely inferior machine. But his Mercedes car was desperately slow at the ensuing street circuits in Monaco and Azerbaijan, while they also struggled at Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend  hugely concerning given its a venue which has been so kind to them in recent seasons. Tactically, Mercedes were also all at sea in France, scuppering Hamiltons fine work and a chance of an unlikely victory, when they were too slow to react to Red Bull. Of course, it is premature to declare Hamiltons chances of winning a record eighth title over. He is still performing at an extremely high level and with 16 scheduled rounds remaining, the championship could yet swing back in his favour. But make no mistake, the momentum is with Red Bull and Verstappen. Chinks are beginning to show in Mercedes armoury  one which has been resolute for so many years. Strategically they have not been good enough, team principal Toto Wolff has perhaps been ruffled by Red Bull counterpart Christian Horners off-track barbs, while the row the legality of Red Bulls flexi rear wing has provided too much of a distraction. Red Bull only seem to be getting better, while Mercedes are heading in the other direction.