...it will become painfully apparent the HUGE gap between him and the elite drivers now. As I said the gap between him and Rosberg in the same car would just be quintrupled with a far superior driver to the winless Rosberg.
He won basically every one of his 91-odd races in the best car with the team backing him completely over his team-mate, not disregarding the sly preferences given to him by way of tire tests for Bridgestone who, for many years, constructed their tires solely around the car the way it suited him - despite many other cars having to use the same tires.
His adaptability has always been suspect and, when things aren't hooking up for him balance-wise, his performance curve tails off quicker than many. As you yourself said above he is getting his clock cleaned by a far less accomplished (but very talented) team-mate who, having come into the game more recently, has learned the important craft of adapting to the ever changing tire characteristics.
If he was in his prime now no doubt he'd be a force to be reckoned with but he would not shine so well with the incredible talent that exists in F1 now. Much like tennis, there are subtle but noticeable generational changes in the level of competitors - usually for the better.
That said, good on him for coming back. If he felt he either wanted to experience the thrill again or line his pockets with gold again then fine. He took a gamble coming back to F1 on the heels of a team which had just completely destroyed the competition - thinking he'd have a cake-walk return to show off his skills once again - but the gamble didn't pan out. He had to stay a few years for sponsor's sake and also so he didn't bail out looking like the prat everyone basically knew him to be anyway.
