There is no denying that this season has been interesting, to say the least. We are finally seeing Mercedes being challenged in both the World Constructors and Drivers Championships. We have witnessed the emergence of a competitive and consistent Redbull car, and Max Verstappen seems to be steady atop of the table so far this season.

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There is no denying that this season has been interesting, to say the least. We are finally seeing Mercedes being challenged in both the World Constructors and Drivers Championships. We have witnessed the emergence of a competitive and consistent Redbull car, and Max Verstappen seems to be steady atop of the table so far this season.

But, if you step back and look at what is happening here, fans may be getting excited about some false representations. Let me explain. If you are to believe the hype coming out of the Mercedes garage, that their resources are to be concentrated on developing next years car, you might have to question the validity of the Redbull progress. Is it as good as it seems? Or is it just because the time and energy haven't been invested by Mercedes giving Redbull an advantage? The cynic in me believes the latter, as much as I want it to be the former.

Generally, this year will be hard to compare apples with apples on most comparative talking points. All of the teams are developing their packages for next as the new regulations kick in. So, we really can't compare the usual teams against each other, irrespective if it's at the pointy end, mid-field or the bottom. It is simply too hard to apply the usual measures to get the lie of the land. So does this mean that we really won't know what is real until next year?

So if the above is true, then what is real and measurable? Irrespective of the development of cars, the drivers continue to develop and hone their skills. Talent will always rise to the top irrespective of rules or regulations being imposed on teams. I refer mainly to Lando Norris and his efforts in the Mclaren. In what is clearly a less superior car to the Mercedes and Redbull, but he still seems to be competitive and getting podiums. This is not to take away any kudos that needs to be given to Max. He surely has matured this year, and his calm is allowing him to make the most of the situation, but I think Lando's performance is easier to measure this year, as it seems to be a step change, rather than an increment.