Paris (AFP)

A relentless domination: since the introduction of hybrid engines in Formula 1 in 2014, Mercedes won all the manufacturer titles and Lewis Hamilton five out of six among the drivers, at the risk of killing interest in the discipline.

With six consecutive drivers and constructors doubled, an unprecedented performance, the star brand did not leave much to its rivals.

Adding Hamilton's victories to teammates Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas, 88 Grand Prix out of a total of 119 will have won in six years.

"I'm paid to win as many races and titles as possible," Toto Wolff, the team's boss, says, while conceding that, for the spectators, the suspense may not be there anymore.

"The number of people who say to you: + I do not look anymore because it is the gray car that will win +, it is monstrous", launches in this regard the French driver Romain Grosjean.

After an overwhelming domination of the Silver Arrows early in the season, the return of Red Bull with Max Verstappen and the awakening of Ferrari have changed the game a little. But Hamilton, who won 10 GPs out of 18 in 2019, was still crowned in the United States on Sunday, while there are still two races to go.

- "One man show" -

This is not the first time a team outrageously dominates F1. McLaren won six constructor titles between 1984 and 1991, Ferrari eight between 1999 and 2008, Red Bull four consecutive between 2010 and 2013, just before the advent of Mercedes.

But with the exception of the fratricidal duel between Hamilton and Rosberg, which cumulated in 2016, this domination is accompanied by a "one man show" of Hamilton that takes a lot of interest in the races.

"You'll say it's boring and I totally understand," admitted the British champion at the end of the Grand Prix de France he won in June.

"But do not blame the pilots, we do not write regulations, put pressure on the decision-makers who should do their job, they've been making mistakes for many years," he added.

The 34-year-old driver is under contract with Mercedes until the end of 2020, the year of expiry of the current regulations that govern the design of single-seaters and the distribution of income between teams.

The new is the subject of intense discussions between the US promoters of F1, Liberty Media, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the teams, but should be endorsed by October 31.

The goal is to make the races more interesting by designing cars that can be closely followed and overcome more easily thanks to simplified aerodynamics. It will also introduce a spending cap to reduce the gap between large and small stables.

The pilots were involved in these discussions, bringing their suggestions, although Hamilton notes that "it did not make much difference".

- "Boost boost" -

He is not the only one complaining about the current F1. The German Sebastian Vettel, today at Ferrari after having conquered four pilot titles at Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, do not like them very much either.

"Bring back these sacred V12", he exclaimed while he was forced to abandon on failure of an element of his hybrid engine during the Russian Grand Prix at the end of September.

Even if he hastened to concede that this would be impossible, he credits the idea that F1 is not only boring for those who watch them turn but also for those who drive them.

Remains the "show" that represents the premier category of motorsport, its profligate technology and struggles behind the scenes between manufacturers and drivers. Last year, Netflix dedicated a documentary series that has met with some success and will have a continuation this season.

That "kicked in + boost" which was really good, people saw something new F1 that they had never seen, "said Grosjean, summarizing the general feeling.

© 2019 AFP