FIA president Jean Todt believes Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton’s current dominance of Formula 1 has usurped that of the Ferrari andಌ Michael Schumacher era.

Todt was in charge of Ferrari when the Italian outfit established itself as the dominant force in F1, winning six consecutive constructors’ championships from 1999 to 2004, while Schumacher 𒈔claimed fiveܫ successive world titles at the Scuderia between 2000 and 2004.

Red Bull wen🧔t on to take four successive world championship do🍒ubles between 2010 and 2013 but Ferrari’s record remained unrivalled until the V6 hybrid era that has been dominated by Mercedes.

Last year Mercedes surpasse✱d Ferrari’s benchmark by maintaining its clean sweep of world championships since 2014 by winning yet another world championship double - its seventh on the bounce.

Hamilton also clinched his se🦹venth drivers’ title - and sixth since 2014 with M༒ercedes - to draw level with Schumacher’s all-time record.

And Todt feels that Mercedes’ level of dominance is now “bigger” than what Ferrari achieved under his l❀eadership.

"I think we are talking about different persons, different ingrಌedients," Todt said.

“The only thing really we can compare is seven against seven. But otherwise, on one side, you had a very structured o꧟rganised German team, with a very talented, extra tale𝓡nted driver.

"And on the other side, you had one Italian team with different mentality, a different approach, which beca🐭me a well-structured, well-organised and also with a great driver, Michael Schuma🍒cher.

"I feel, and I'm sure I will be quoted for that, the supremacy, the dominance of Mercede✅s and Lewis is bigger than the one we had at the time with Ferrari and Michael.

"And credit to them, the car is very reliable. Apar🌼t from the second Bahrain race which was missed by Lewis, in two years he did not mis♋s to score points in a race.

"It's absolutely outstanding. And the driver is not doing any mistakes. It's just a combination♌ again.”

Hamilton charged to his seventh drivers’ crown in convincing fashion, winning 10 of the 16 races 🍰he contested in 2020. Todt said he is most impressed by Hamilton’s teamwork, as 👍well as his remarkably consistent levels of performance.

"I've been very impressed, but I diꦍd not wait until 2020 to be impressed," he 💮explained.

"You just mentioned that he is celebrating seven times being a world cham﷽pion, so I've been impressed at least six times before.

"I'm also impressed by the continuity of what his team have♕ been able to secure. We are in a world where it's not only a sportsman or a sportswoman, it's a man and a machine, and here, it's the best example of outstanding team spirit, team work.

"And I mu𝓀st give also a lot of credit to Lewis ever💯y time he speaks about the success, he speaks about the team behind him for the success.

"🦄I'm very impressedꦓ and clearly that does explain why the records, some have been beaten, some have been equal."