13 May 2014

Mercedes banish thoughts of winning every race

11:42 am on 13 May 2014

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso believes Mercedes could win every Formula One grand prix this season and the idea did not appear laughable after Lewis Hamilton took his fourth victory in a row in Spain.

In Stuttgart, and at the team factory in Brackley and engine plant in Brixworth, such thinking is still considered crazy however - even if the possibility is lurking deep in the recesses of more than a few minds.

Mercedes have won five out of five and started all on pole position.

The last four races have finished one-two, with Hamilton leading Germany's Nico Rosberg, and the margin of superiority over the rest is immense.

All but four rival cars were lapped by Hamilton in Spain, with the Briton revelling in exactly the success he was promised in 2012 when Mercedes lured him from McLaren.

Red Bull's third placed Australian Daniel Ricciardo was some 49 seconds behind.

McLaren are the only team to have come close to such domination, when the late Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost battled for the title in 1988 and won all but one of the 16 races.

Ferrari also won 15 (of 17) races in 2002 and 2004.

No driver has ever won four races in a row in a single season and failed to take the title that year but Rosberg - winner in Australia - is still only three points behind Hamilton due to his consistent scoring.