While Pat Symonds isn’t surprised by the performance Mercedes has produced from its power unit in the V6 hybrid era, he admits he didn’t anticipate its rivals to continue to trail for so long in Formula ꦡ1.

Since the switc🐬h to V6 hybrids in 2014, F1 has been dominated by Mercedes and its power unit with the German manufacturer storming to six consecutive world drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

Former Williams technical chief Symond😼s, who use Mercedes as its engine supplier, says its facilities, financial backing and engineering input made it clear to see how it became so dominant under the curr🤡ent engine rules.

“It’s been amazingly impressive,” Symonds, 𓂃who is now chief technical officer of F1’s motorsport division, said at the Autosport International Show. “If ever you go to HPP and Brixworth, you understand why. There are so many good peop♛le there, so well financed, such good equipment, fantastically strong leadership from Andy Cowell. It doesn’t surprise me now [but] I didn’t anticipate it.

“I think even if you go back to the V8, I think the Mercedes was th♏e strongest engine, and they didn’t always have it in the best chassis when they were really supporting McLaren, but as soon as it went into the Brawn, it won a championship.ꦯ No, I wouldn’t have anticipated it.”

But what has come as an unwanted surprise, gi🐟ven his new F1 role, is the length of time it has taken Mercedes’ rivals to match it in terms of power and perform꧅ance output.

“Perhaps more importantly, I wouldn’t have anticipated how long it’s taken for the others to catch up,” he said. “They have caught up now. I think Mercedes would even say Ferrari have gone ahead. But it surprised me how long that’s ಞtaken.”

While Mercedes power continued to dominate in 2019, with the works team storming to 15 wins out of 21 races, both Red Bull-Honda and Ferrari notchꦅed up three wins apiece to provide a more competitive fight at the front compared to the start of the V6 Hybrid era in 2014 when Mercedes won 16 out of 19 races.

Last year🌳 Mercedes’ c♐ustomer teams slipped down in the midfield fight with Racing Point finishing in seventh place and Williams in last position – but both teams’ struggles can be connected to financial and engineering issues rather than engine performance.

From 2021 Mercedes will also supply power units to McLaren to restart a partnership ▨which previously ran between 1995 to 2014.