Mercedes is more dominant today than Ferrari was at the height of the Michael Schumacher era.
That is the view of FIA president Jean Todt, who presided over Schumacher’s five consecutive world championships between 2000 and 2004 as team boss.
When asked to compare that success with Lewis Hamilton’s reign of today, Todt said: "We are talking about completely different ingredients and two different personalities at the wheel.
"On the one hand, we have this excellently structured German team with an outstanding driver, and on the other we have an Italian racing team with a completely different mentality and approach.
"Ultimately, the superiority and dominance of Mercedes with Lewis is greater today than that of Ferrari and Michael back then," the Frenchman insisted.
"Mercedes also has a very reliable car, with Lewis scoring every time for almost two years. And Hamilton is a driver who hardly makes a mistake. It’s an incredible combination," 74-year-old Todt said.
In 2020, Hamilton matched Schumacher’s all-time tally of seven titles, and at the end of the year was knighted by the Queen.
"I’m very impressed, but I was before the 2020 season," Todt said. "That also applies to the attitude of the driver.
"I find it remarkable how Lewis Hamilton puts his team at the centre every time he gives interviews after another success. For me this is an excellent example of team spirit."