I think you have an excellent point here, they wanted the cost cap to bring teams closer together, but it seems to have done the opposite, but its hear to stay.
Car handling better at some tracks has always been the case and drivers, but RB seems to have nailed it at all tracks.
Willams upgrades seem to have nailed this track, where has Mercedes have gone backwards, well thats what it looks like, yes they maybe be holding back for qualifying and the race, we shall have to wait and see, but like you say, Mercedes needs major surgery and that wont happen this season, this season smacks again of damage limitation , give Russell and Hamilton enough to keep them in the top 3/4 but nothing more.
No running for Leclerc in FP2 has to be a worry for Ferrari, with just FP3 to gather enough data and that looks like it could be wet and with the race looking dry, they are already on the back foot.
AM are very up and down, one minute they look second fastest on the grid, the next they are struggling.