The new era of Formula 1 has not been kind to Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes F1 team.

The Brackley-based outfit were on another level throughout the turbo-hybrid era, dominating the grid year after year and cruising to eight successive Constructors' Championships.

But the new regulations seems to have caught the Silver Arrows team flat-footed, given the car that they have produced for this season has been so far off the pace so far.

Their lack of race pace can be attributed to numerous faults with car, mainly excessive amounts of porpoising that makes the car nearly undriveable at times, but what that means is that they can no longer compete at the sharp end of the grid.

Something that Hamilton is most certainly not accustomed to.

Last year he was engaged in a fierce and grueling title scrap with arch-rival Max Verstappen, that saw the Dutchman controversially clinch the championship at the final race in Abu Dhabi.

So, it would have been especially painful for Hamilton to be lapped by Verstappen at the Imola Grand Prix this weekend.

With a third left of the Grand Prix, Verstappen cruised past Hamilton's Mercedes whilst leading the race.

[Credit: Sky Sports News]

Ouch! That's got to hurt...

Verstappen would go on to clinch a comfortable victory on a weekend that proved to be close to perfect for Red Bull.

Charles Leclerc's late spin saw him drop valuable points while Carlos Sainz early exit from the race saw Ferrari get only one car over the line.

Verstappen, meanwhile, claimed maximum points from the weekend having won the Sprint race on Saturday.

The Formula 1 roadshow jets off to Miami in two weeks' time for the inaugural Grand Prix in the world-famous party city.

Buckle in, folks, this title race is far from over.