It looked as though the Scuderia would kick on from there, but they haven't. A difficult run in the rounds after the summer break saw them slip behind McLaren in the competitive order for a time, while Red Bull have also won multiple races.

Ferrari have had their chances, but have failed to take them. Most notably, they were quickest in all three practice sessions in Austin last weekend but didn't get the job done in qualifying. Their race pace was strong, but not enough to make up for starting lower down the grid than they should have.

Speaking ahead of this Sunday's race in Mexico City, Hamilton said he is keen to finish the season "on a high". And, looking ahead to next year, he is keen for his team to deliver in the one area where Ferrari have been unquestionably inferior to both Mercedes and Red Bull this season.

The 41-year-old said: "I'm really focused right now on next year's car, looking at the good things from this year and making sure we don't lose them, but instead add to the chassis. And then, of course, in the background, I'm pushing as hard as I can to make sure we come with a power unit that can compete with Mercedes and Red Bull.

"The engine is probably number one [priority]. We've got reliability, which is good. But if we were matching the power of the others we would be fighting for the championship this year, which we know. So rectifying that and closing the gap is important.

"I know everyone is working flat out at the factory to try to do that, and I trust them completely in that process. It won’t be easy, but it’s possible. And then with the car, you always want more downforce. You're always looking for a wider window in which the car works better. At the moment, it's quite narrow. When you get it right, it's good, but it's very narrow and you're in and out of it."

Leclerc disagreed, saying he felt Mercedes are still the benchmark, but did say there could be an opportunity for his team this weekend. He said: "It's getting very close and we have good momentum with Singapore and Austin. We have maximised our potential and I was relatively happy with the pace we've shown.

"Whether we are the favourites this weekend, I don't fully agree, I think Mercedes remain the favourites wherever we go. I think Red Bull are very strong recently, but if we maximise everything we have, then I hope it can be a great weekend for us.

"As we've seen, I think the optimisation of our package is what eventually will make most difference. It's so difficult to put everything in the right window coming into qualifying that if we manage to do so, then I think we've got a chance here, but for that we've got to be perfect."

Big moments. Packed grandstands. A championship battle that’s heating up.

When the Formula 1 season delivers like this, watching from home just isn’t the same as being there when the lights go out.

With Gullivers Sports Travel, you can experience the most iconic races on the Formula 1 calendar LIVE! Enjoy tickets, handpicked hotels, and seamless travel with one of the UK’s leading sports travel specialists.