Mercedes’ woes at not even being the team to “pick up scraps” from Red Bul𝕴l have been debated.

A rare off-🥃day from F1’s dominant team last weekend at the Miami Grand Prix e⛄nabled McLaren’s Lando Norris to win his first-ever race.

Lewis Hamilton finished sixth, and Geꦕorge Russell eighth, behind a McLaren, two Fe☂rraris and two Red Bulls.

“They are going to be looking at McLaren’𝓰s step forward,” F1 Explains podcast presenter Christian Hewgill 𒁃told the F1 Nation podcast.

“You’ve got to pick up on scraps when you’re in an era of Red ꦫBull domination.

“The scrap was: that Red Bul🍷l was tricky on its balance.

“McLaren swooped in and picked up that scrap. [Mer⛦cedღes] want that to be them…

“🔯They are not even behind the𓄧 people who are picking up the scraps!

“I still think they will go away and say: ‘Two🍷 cars into Q3, bitဣ more solidly into the points, but we’re not on the podium or winning’.

“I sense a real air of disappointment around that t⭕eam thꦑis season.

“Every year we come into preseason testing and think ‘they will roar back’ but it doesn’t hap🎀pen.”

The W15 - which promised much as a step forward compared to the bleak cars of the past two years - h🧔as not yet delivered.

“George and 💖Lewis have said in the past it is even inconsistent lap to lap,” Hewgill continued.

“How it handles into one particular turn, at one part꧋icular track, can differ from one lap to the next.

“🐲They seem unable to get to grips with it consistently. They will be disappointed.”

Hamilton’s weekend was mos♌t notable for a battle with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen.

Magnuss💫en’s admission that he was driving tactically to help his teammate score points🃏 drew a respectful reaction from Hamilton.

“They are often nic𓆉e to each other in this paddock b🍬ut I enjoyed them going at it hammer and tong,” Hewgill said.

“We’re in an era where sometimes it’s best to let so⭕meone overtake you as it’s best not to ruin your tyr෴es.

“So it was fantastic to see th♐em battling. I enjoyed seeing Lewis do that.”

F1.com Editor Greꦕg Stuart said: “I don’t think the team would deny that it was an off-colour performance. George used the word ‘rubb⛦ish’.

“What Lewis loves doing is🔜 dominating a race from the front and showing everyone that he’s the GOAT, he’s the best.

“But he also loves tel♎ling stories of karting of having the cheapest, used tyres and beating rivals. He loved൲ that.

“He loved battling ꦕNico Hulkenberg. At Turn 11 he was like ‘we will either have an aircraft-style crash or I will get by…’

“He enjoyed Kevin Magnussen’s integrity too, of admitting he played a tactic🌞al game.

“𓃲Lewis wants to win championships and races but ﷽he was loving the situation he was in.”