F1 Q&A after Silverstone: How close will drivers' championship be?

Lewis Hamilton won a race-long conflict pinch Max Verstappen and Lando Norris astatine a gripping, wet-dry British Grand Prix to declare his first triumph since December 2021.

His occurrence collapsed nan grounds of nan astir title victories astatine a azygous track, claiming 9 wins astatine Silverstone.

There is simply a week-long break earlier nan drivers title again astatine nan Hungarian Grand Prix.

BBC Sport F1 analogous Andrew Benson answers your questions aft nan title astatine Silverstone.

What gave Mercedes specified an separator complete nan British Grand Prix weekend? – Mark

Mercedes had their astir competitory play since 2021, locking retired nan beforehand statement and Lewis Hamilton winning nan race.

They person now won 2 races successful a row, aft George Russell inherited nan triumph successful Austria nan week earlier Silverstone pursuing nan collision betwixt Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. And they person taken 2 rod positions successful nan past 4 races, aft Russell’s successful Canada.

While it could consciousness arsenic if Hamilton’s Silverstone triumph came retired of nan bluish - and it was his first since nan 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - successful fact, it was nan culmination of a process Mercedes person been going done for immoderate time.

This has seen a bid of upgrades introduced connected to nan car - starting pinch caller bodywork astatine nan Miami Grand Prix, followed by a caller level astatine nan Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix past a caller beforehand wing, introduced complete nan Monaco and Canadian races.

But nan bigger mobility is, aft 2 years of struggle successful which they seemed to deficiency answers arsenic to really to make nan car competitive, really person they sewage to this constituent wherever they now look to understand nan rules introduced successful 2022 and make accordant progress?

On Sunday, squad main Toto Wolff said: "Five races ago, we weren’t contenders for nan podium and it looked for illustration we were successful nan 3rd twelvemonth of non-performance, and past it clicked.

"Suddenly, everything that didn’t make sense, made consciousness and nan results of nan improvement guidance is backmost successful nan aged days - we are uncovering capacity and we are putting it connected nan car."

He was asked really and why, and he credited method head James Allison, saying: "There was a infinitesimal where, led by James, abruptly nan information made consciousness and nan gap. The measurement we made it, nan measurement we balanced nan car, and really we could bring it successful a amended saccharine spot.

"That was nan main thing. It wasn’t a occurrence beforehand wing; it was much nan equilibrium we achieved."

Why, considering they introduced nary awesome changes betwixt Austria and Silverstone, were they much competitory past play than astatine nan Red Bull Ring? That will beryllium down to way characteristics.

A rival squad boss, asked whether he was amazed by Mercedes’ performance, said, "no, it was already clear they were very competitory successful high-speed corners. And Silverstone is afloat of them".

So this consequence does not needfully mean Mercedes will support winning, but it does look to beryllium they are backmost arsenic regular front-runners. And they person further upgrades for nan adjacent 2 races successful Hungary and Belgium.

Do you deliberation Hamilton is already regretting his move to Ferrari pinch nan Ferrari alteration and Mercedes' summation successful competitiveness? – Dave

Hamilton was asked forms of this mobility doubly complete nan play astatine Silverstone.

The first was successful nan pre-event news conference, erstwhile nan mobility was whether he would still person made nan determination to subordinate Ferrari successful 2025 had Mercedes been performing astatine this level astatine nan extremity of past year. His reply was: "Yes."

After winning nan race, he was asked whether nan triumph was bittersweet because he was leaving Mercedes down adjacent year.

He said: “No. When we started nan play and we had a car wherever we weren't going anyplace adjacent Red Bull, for example, anyplace adjacent looking for illustration we would ever get a triumph done nan year, that for maine felt for illustration it would beryllium benignant of bittersweet astatine nan extremity of nan season, wherever you've not had thing for illustration today.

"We’ve really each travel together, everyone's done specified a awesome occupation to get nan car into a spot wherever we're emotion overmuch much comfortable and really changes from nan instauration from past year.

"So [I’m] not leaving connected a low, but leaving connected a high, which has been our goal.

"There's still a long, agelong measurement to go, but by nary intends is nan car nan quickest car connected nan grid correct now. We are ace close, and I deliberation hopefully pinch a mates of upgrades, pinch nan adjacent upgrade perhaps, we will beryllium successful an moreover stronger position to really, really beryllium fighting astatine nan beforehand statement much consistently."

With each nan different winners truthful acold this year, really adjacent will nan drivers’ title be? – Sammy Smith

This year’s F1 title is decidedly successful a very different spot aft 12 races than it was aft five.

After nan Chinese Grand Prix, Max Verstappen and Red Bull looked group for a repetition of 2023, erstwhile they had nan astir ascendant play successful F1 history.

Since Miami, Red Bull person been facing a accordant situation from McLaren, it appears arsenic if Mercedes are astir to make it a three, and location person been six different winners successful 12 races truthful acold this year.

That suggests nan 2nd half of nan season, which starts successful Hungary connected 19 July, will beryllium highly competitory and that each individual title could person a number of imaginable winners.

However, done this play of accrued competition, Verstappen has extended his title lead substantially.

After China, he led Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 34 points and Lando Norris by 52 points.

Norris has since moved up into 2nd successful nan title but he is now 84 points down Verstappen, and Leclerc - who has had a very difficult 4 races pinch Ferrari since his triumph successful Monaco - is 105 adrift.

McLaren could arguably person won successful Canada, Spain, Austria and Silverstone. But they won nary of them, because Norris and his squad are making excessively galore mini mistakes, whereas Red Bull and Verstappen proceed to run pinch intimidating consistency.

There is simply a logic why beautiful overmuch everyone successful F1 correct now thinks Verstappen is nan champion driver successful nan world.

He could easy person won nary of nan races since China. Instead, he has won half of them. And erstwhile he does not win, he continues to people large points.

If - and it is simply a large if - McLaren and Mercedes tin commencement to hit Verstappen consistently pinch some cars, they tin commencement to return immoderate large points disconnected Verstappen.

But moreover if they did that astatine each title - which connected existent shape looks improbable - overcoming nan benignant of gaps Norris and Leclerc person to Verstappen would beryllium highly difficult.

That is why Verstappen remains an overwhelming favourite to triumph nan title, moreover if he whitethorn not commencement immoderate of nan remaining races pinch that status.

Bear successful mind, too, that while Red Bull’s caller level did not look to activity that efficaciously successful Silverstone, it was only its first race. And they are believed to person much upgrades to travel successful Hungary.

Red Bull are going done a sticky spot - by their caller standards - but they stay a formidable force.