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  "path": "/the-chinese-gp-proves-mercedes-domination-might-still-be-fun",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-15T18:26:26.000Z",
  "site": "https://defector.com",
  "tags": [
    "Racing",
    "controversial worldviews (mercedes domination not the end of the world)",
    "Ferrari",
    "formula 1",
    "kimi antonelli",
    "lewis hamilton",
    "mercedes",
    "my goat is unwashed",
    "the no doubt bright and shiny future of scuderia ferrari",
    "the omnipresent and looming horrors of scuderia ferrari",
    "back in 2023",
    "couple of upgrades"
  ],
  "textContent": "It is difficult to be a conscientious viewer of Formula 1, a sport which occurs in discrete windows, not all that frequently, and on tracks with their own variable characteristics that can skew results any which way. To be specific, any possible conclusion to be made off the back of the Chinese Grand Prix that took place Sunday in the wee hours of Eastern Daylight Time is negotiating a sample size of two races, and should be treated as such. And with that disclaimer disclaimed: Mercedes is running away with the championship.\n\nSpectators who watched F1 prior to 2021 will be familiar with the horrors of watching two Mercedes cars finish a race well over 10 seconds ahead of the nearest car. There was the infamous HAM BOT VER—Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen—podium trio that defined 2020, and then HAM ROS VET—Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel—before that. Worse, Mercedes rarely had or has the decency to be affected by internal beeves with any sort of consistency, especially when the team starts a season firing on all cylinders. Even one of the most noxious teammate pairings in F1 history, Hamilton and Rosberg, couldn't break the stalwart Mercedes winning machine.\n\nIf there is potential for some upset to the Mercedes formula, it will be on slower circuits later in the season. And it is not unheard for a team to make major gains even midway through a single season, as McLaren did back in 2023. Indeed, Ferrari look to have a couple of upgrades in the pipeline that the team aggressively trotted out to test during the Chinese GP. But to seriously contend in the championship, those upgrades would have to be fully ready sooner rather than later.",
  "title": "The Chinese GP Proves Mercedes Domination Might Still Be Fun"
}