Mercedes closing the gap but it's too late this year. They have more than once taken a risk on a plan based on going longer than RB and hoping to win on tyre degradation and keep getting spooked by the first pit stop RB do and then not even being able to run longer than RB on harder tyres. Looking at Ricciardo, it seems like the plan people originally thought they would use (long stint on the mediums then softs late on) would have been the one to go for. Surprised they didn't try it on one car and run 2 separate races.

Mercedes need to stop building their plans around RB wearing through their tyres quickly, it just isn't happening. RB have shown repeatedly they can keep their tyres going just as well as anyone else.