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Cape Town - Anonymous he was in Monaco, but in Canada Sebastian Vettel vaulted from third, straight into the lead for the Canadian GP when the two Mercs, and in particular Lewis Hamilton from pole, yet again bogged down at the start.
Vettel slipped by on Hamilton's inside, Nico Rosberg tried the outside, but Hamilton held steady through Turn One and Nico took a trip through the infield.
READ: 2016 Canadian GP - As it happened
A displeasing boss
Having started from positions one and two on the grid, the Mercs thus exited Turn Two in second and ninth, with Hamilton ahead. Head of Mercedes' motorsport Toto Wolff was less pleased, but real pain still awaited him in the foothills of the Alps...
That is in the future, though.
READ: Canadian GP - Hamilton delivers Montreal 'KO'
In Canada, Vettel soon lost the lead after what seemed to have been a panic reaction to pit under the safety car, where after Hamilton eked out a victory on worn tyres, quoting the deceased Muhammad Ali on his slow down lap: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee...”
Beautiful!
Rosberg had a less fortunate race, battling soaring engine and brake temperatures, a slow puncture and marginal fuel, before he spun, trying to pass an 18-year-old who had defended magnificently against the might of Mercedes.
Not so easy peasy, what Max Verstappen did in Montreal.
In the process, Rosberg’s points lead had been slashed from 43 after four races, to nine after seven races - including Barca’s non-finish by both Merc drivers.
The tide was turning.