F1 Correspondent Addresses Driver Performance, Team Challenges, and Governance Ahead of Season Finale

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured his ninth victory of the season at the Qatar Grand Prix. The Dutch driver, who received a one-place grid penalty despite qualifying on pole, took the lead from Mercedes’ George Russell at the start of the race. McLaren was unable to clinch the constructors’ championship title, ensuring their contest with Ferrari will extend to the final race of the season. BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson responds to reader questions in anticipation of this weekend’s season-ending event, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Thomas inquired whether Lewis Hamilton’s recent poor qualifying form is a concern for Ferrari, given their decision to release Carlos Sainz, whose performances have been consistently strong. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur was asked this question after the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday. He said: “Not at all. Have a look at the 50 laps he did in Vegas, starting P10, finishing on the gearbox of (winner George) Russell. I am not worried at all.” It is undeniable that Hamilton has not experienced a stellar final season with Mercedes. His highlights include two wins, notably an exceptional drive at the British Grand Prix, and the ascent through the field at Las Vegas, as mentioned by Vasseur. However, the fact that he has been consistently out-qualified by team-mate George Russell and his general difficulties with the car have come as a surprise. Neither Hamilton nor Mercedes seems capable of fully explaining why Hamilton has encountered these problems. What is certain is that he has simply not adapted well to this year’s Mercedes car, which he finds unpredictable, and he has not managed its unique characteristics as effectively as Russell. Hamilton’s performance at Ferrari next year alongside Charles Leclerc is expected to be a major storyline of the upcoming season. Stewart questioned whether George Russell’s qualifying performances should receive more recognition and if they contribute to Lewis Hamilton’s uncertainties. George Russell certainly deserves credit for his qualifying performances, and his overall displays. Even prior to this year, Russell was largely on par with Hamilton in qualifying during 2022 and 2023, and this season he has decisively outperformed him. No one in F1 disputes that Russell is among the grid’s fastest drivers, nor that he is a leading figure of what might be termed the ‘new’ generation of stars, alongside Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris. Nevertheless, most would suggest that Hamilton’s struggles this year are somewhat distinct from that. Neither Hamilton nor Mercedes can adequately explain the extent of Hamilton’s difficulties this year compared to Russell. However, navigating a challenging car during a year when one knows they are departing at the end of the season cannot be easy. Clifford asked whether Cadillac can truly produce a competitive car for 2026, considering everything required to assemble a team and design and build a complex F1 car. When Formula 1 initially rejected what was then a joint bid from Cadillac and the US-based Andretti organization in January, one of the reasons provided was the unlikelihood of the team being competitive. F1 has since revised its opinion. The key difference in F1’s perspective on the project is that it is now being presented as a factory entry from General Motors, Cadillac’s parent company. Despite this, many fundamental aspects of the new team remain the same upon closer inspection. It will be operated by the same organization Andretti assembled, but is now referred to by a different name, TWG, and co-founder Michael Andretti himself is no longer involved. The car is also being designed by the same team that has been working for Andretti at Silverstone for some time, under the leadership of former Renault F1 bosses Pat Symonds, Rob White, and Nick Chester. A significant difference is that the new team will not be using a Renault engine when it makes its debut in 2026. It still requires a customer engine to bridge the gap until the bespoke Cadillac engine is ready—likely around 2028—but that is now expected to be a Ferrari unit. In theory, Cadillac possesses the same potential to produce a competitive 2026 car as any other team, having identical access to the regulations. Jonathan raised concerns that the FIA appears to be in complete disarray, with the debris error in the Qatar Grand Prix being the latest issue, and asked if F1 could pressure for Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s removal. The concise answer to this question is no. The FIA president is elected by the FIA member clubs in a vote held every four years, with the next election scheduled for December 2025. Ben Sulayem is anticipated to seek re-election, and currently, there is no obvious candidate to oppose him, although there are whispers that at least one person will attempt to. Having said that, serious concern exists within F1—among both Liberty Media and the teams—regarding the current management of the FIA and the number of senior personnel who have departed this year, through various means. This sentiment was summarized by Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff on Sunday, when he said: “It could have its own reality show of what is happening at the moment.“All of us stakeholders need to bear in mind that we need to protect this holy grail of a sport and do it with responsibility and accountability and transparency. It doesn’t come across like that.” Jack inquired how Max Verstappen could struggle in the Qatar sprint race but then qualify on pole position for the grand prix. This can be attributed to car set-up. Red Bull’s configuration was incorrect for the sprint but optimal for the main grand prix, following adjustments made between the conclusion of the sprint and the commencement of qualifying. The impact of these changes surprised even Verstappen himself, who said: “I also didn’t expect that. I mean, we did change a bit on the car, but I never thought it would make such a swing in performance.” At Mercedes, the situation was reversed. Russell was competitive in the sprint but not in the grand prix. This illustrates the high sensitivity of modern F1 cars. A minor adjustment can move them into or out of what is known as the ‘set-up window,’ and once outside it, this can significantly affect performance. Dave questioned how F1 drivers cope with jet lag, noting their constant travel across time zones and asking if they simply become accustomed to it. While F1 drivers are elite-level athletes with exceptional skill, they are still human beings and are affected by jet lag like everyone else. For example, in Las Vegas, Carlos Sainz commented on the substantial time-zone shift between that location and Qatar: “It is down to the fitness that you’ve accumulated during the first part of the year and keeping yourself fit and healthy.”It will be quite a shock to the body, but If you’re fit, you’re healthy, and you’ve managed to keep yourself warm here, don’t get any colds, take melatonin whenever you have to take melatonin, and go to sleep whenever you have to go to sleep, it should get it done.” George Russell added: “There’s not really anything you can do in these days. Preparation needed to happen beforehand. And it’s going to be a challenge for everyone, but we’re all in the same boat.” He concluded: “So no one’s going to be on peak condition personally, but it’s just about limiting the losses.” Incidentally, melatonin is a hormone that can be taken to promote sleep. It is available by prescription in the UK and over the counter in the US.