[wdave0]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I don't, for even one millisecond, deny that the Mercedes power-unit is superior, but that does not account for the fact that the Mercedes can still beat the opposition using harder rubber. The car obviously sticks to the track better than all the rest, which is not a benefit derived from it's power-unit; it comes from it's chassis, etc.

Unless, of course, you believe that the Mercedes is around 1.5-2 seconds quicker along just the straight bits of the circuit.

Don't forget that more power allows the car to carry more downforce (drag), affecting the entire performance envelope.