Was Ferrari chairman unfair to Hamilton and Leclerc? – F1 Q&A

The Formula 1 2025 season is approaching an intense finale with three races across consecutive weekends to determine the champion of the drivers’ title.

Lando Norris holds a significant 24-point advantage over McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri as they head into the Las Vegas Grand Prix, scheduled to occur under the lights on the Strip at 04:00 GMT this Sunday.

Next up are the grands prix in Qatar, happening from the 28th to the 30th of November, followed by Abu Dhabi from the 5th to the 7th of December.

Before the Las Vegas race, BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson responds to your latest inquiries.

Is Ferrari chair John Elkann’s assertion that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc should focus «on driving and speak less» following their disappointing performances this season unfair? – Jordan

John Elkann undeniably sparked controversy with his statements the day after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

It remains unclear what specifically triggered these comments, as Ferrari did not provide details.

However, considering they were made less than a day after Hamilton remarked that his series of results in his debut season with Ferrari had been «a nightmare, and I’ve been dealing with it for some time,» it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think the seven-time champion was on Elkann’s mind.

Regarding Hamilton, this sort of emotional response is typical when he experiences a disappointing race.

Recall when he claimed following qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix that he felt «completely useless» and «drove poorly,» suggesting Ferrari «probably need to reconsider their driver»?

He didn’t genuinely mean that then, not really. And Brazil should be interpreted within that framework.

After all, Hamilton did also say: «I believe something remarkable lies ahead in my journey and fate. I still have faith in this team and in what we can accomplish together.»

Which seems, one could argue, exactly the kind of message Elkann would wish to receive.

The concern many had with Elkann’s statements was the questionable validity of their claims.

He commended the mechanics for «essentially winning the championship with their performance and the efficiency of the pit stops,» as they currently lead in average pit-stop time rankings.

That’s reasonable, but then he remarked: «If we examine our engineers, it’s clear that the car has improved.»

Well, maybe it has. But not in relation to their competitors. Ferrari was 0.372 seconds behind the pace on average during the first half of the season, and in this second half, they remain 0.472 seconds off.

As for the drivers, it is true that Hamilton has faced challenges this year, though his performances have progressively improved over the season, despite Brazil being a tough outing for him.

But Leclerc has been exceptional. And while he’s frequently stated that the car lacks speed, no one would dispute that, not even Elkann.

Ferrari exists in F1 to win. Anything less is insufficient. That is a fact. And Leclerc has shown unwavering allegiance to the team.

Ferrari is suggesting that Elkann’s comments should serve as motivation for the team to perform better. However, it’s challenging to see how Leclerc and Hamilton would react favorably to them, regardless of the good intentions behind them.

The current grid appears closer in performance than ever. Has F1 successfully established a scenario where each driver’s performance each weekend is a larger differentiator than in the past, and does the forthcoming regulatory change jeopardize this equilibrium? – Matt

It’s logical that if the cars are more closely matched, then the driver’s impact becomes more pronounced.

Determining whether this is more significant now than at any previous time is challenging, as various elements in F1 currently tend to diminish the differences among drivers.

Telemetry, for instance, offers less naturally gifted drivers an opportunity to catch up over the course of a weekend.

This was evident at Alpine when Fernando Alonso was partnered with Esteban Ocon.

At the start of a race weekend, Alonso was typically much quicker than Ocon, who would gradually become more competitive with each session until he was often able to qualify alongside or even ahead of him.

Another aspect to consider is that many would contend that the depth of talent at the forefront of F1 right now is as impressive as it’s ever been, if not more so.

Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Alonso are three drivers who would undoubtedly be featured on anyone’s all-time greats list.

Additionally, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, George Russell, and Leclerc are all notable talents, without question.

That’s at least seven extraordinary drivers competing in F1 simultaneously.

Any significant regulatory change inevitably expands both the gaps between teams and the likelihood that a single team will gain an advantage over others, as seen in 2022 with Red Bull and in 2014 with Mercedes.

It wouldn’t be surprising if a similar scenario unfolded in 2026. Nevertheless, a slew of high-caliber teams populate F1 now, so the grid should close up again fairly quickly.

As the season draws to a close, rookies are increasingly displaying their skills. Is there a case for permitting more testing in current vehicles for new drivers than the existing regulations allow? Oliver Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, and Isack Hadjar appear to be quite settled and performing well. – Chris

One could contend that altering the testing regulations is unnecessary, as Antonelli, Bearman, and Hadjar have demonstrated their abilities without additional support!

There is no interest in F1 to broaden testing permissions. Testing incurs significant costs.

That said, there is an acknowledgment that rookie drivers could benefit from additional opportunities to familiarize themselves with F1.

This is why regulations were amended this year to mandate teams to field rookies in two sessions per car – totaling four for the season.

Moreover, teams have begun utilizing younger drivers in cars from prior years – a practice known as testing of previous cars (TPC) and testing of historic cars (THC).

For instance, Antonelli participated in a comprehensive TPC program last year, a trend that is progressively gaining traction as a method to prep rookies for F1 debuts.

Will Aston Martin be the team to watch next season under Adrian Newey’s design leadership for next year’s car? – Ian

The reality is that no one knows what the competitive landscape will look like next year, and it won’t be clear until the first race of the season.

Newey has an impressive history regarding rule changes. He excelled in 1998 with McLaren, in 2009 with Red Bull (once Brawn’s double diffuser advantage was nullified), and again in 2022 with Red Bull.

In 1998, he officially joined McLaren only in September of the preceding year. Compared to Aston Martin, he has had six additional months, although F1 has evolved significantly since then.

Naturally, the entire F1 community is eagerly anticipating how Newey performs with Aston Martin.

On the engine front, Honda, set to be Aston Martin’s sole factory partner, undeniably possesses the necessary expertise.

Aston Martin’s lead driver is quite skilled too.

However, success in F1 often hinges on continuity. Unfortunately, Aston Martin has struggled with stability in recent years.

There have been numerous top-level staff alterations, which are still ongoing.

A newly established leadership structure requires time to settle. Andy Cowell has been chief executive officer for just over a year, and Newey only came on board in March of this year.

Enrico Cardile joined from Ferrari in July 2024, assuming the chief technical officer role just in August.

Under such circumstances, it would be quite remarkable if Aston Martin turned out to be competitive next year. But, then again, Newey…