Mercedes' seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton played down the pain of his latest defeat by Formula One leader Max Verstappen in France on Sunday & said the race was a real reflection of Red Bull's pace.
The Briton won 2018 & 2019 at Le Castellet, last year with no race due to COVID-19, but his hopes of a hat-trick ended when a resurgent Red Bull out-smarted the champions on strategy.
The seventh race of the season was a turnaround for the Spanish Grand Prix in May when Hamilton hunted Verstappen, who then said he felt like a duck sitting on the closing lap, to win.
This time it was the champions who were on the receiving end as Verstappen made a second pitstop & used his new tires to make up time & overhaul Hamilton on the final lap.
Asked how frightening the sentiment was, Hamilton - now 12 points behind his Dutch rival - said it was not at all.
"I think we did a great job today & it didn't work out," he said.
"I'm not massively disappointed. I think I did the best I could today. Of course, there were things we probably could have done a little better but overall they've been faster than us throughout the weekend.
"It's a true reflection of their speed."
Hamilton had arrived at Le Castellet after scoring just seven points from the last two races won by Red Bull & four behind Verstappen.
The 36-year-old admitted that another chance at winning had slipped his fingers, his tally still stuck on a record 98 career wins.
"If we looked from behind, if we had stopped earlier, before they stopped & came forward & just went to two stops, we might have won the race," he said.
"But it would still have been very difficult. His pace was generally very, very strong.
"If he (Verstappen) hadn't made a turn-by-turn mistake, he probably would have completely led the race."
Verstappen started on pole but went wide at the start, allowing Hamilton to take the lead, which the Mercedes driver held until the pitstop, when the Dutch driver came to the fore before gambling & standing again.
"Lewis's tires were really worn out," Verstappen said of the closing stages. "It was quite an easy pass."