F1 Q&A: Are there problems between drivers and the FIA?

McLaren's Lando Norris converted rod position to a title triumph successful a ascendant capacity astatine nan Singapore Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who vanished second, is now 52 points up of Norris pinch six races remaining successful nan season.

With a third-place decorativeness for Oscar Piastri, McLaren extended their constructors title lead to 41 points.

BBC F1 analogous Andrew Benson answers your questions aft nan title successful Marina Bay.

The censure Max Verstappen has sewage for swearing, and Lewis Hamilton's comments connected stereotypical language, does this show problems betwixt drivers and nan FIA? – John

Without question, yes.

On Saturday, erstwhile Verstappen staged his protest against nan punishment by giving minimalist answers successful nan charismatic FIA news conference, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton made it clear they thought nan punishment was wrong.

On Sunday, aft he did nan aforesaid point - and again said to nan written media distant from nan FIA news convention room - Verstappen made it clear nan drivers backed him arsenic a group.

"Yeah, for sure," he said. "Of course, I wrote successful nan GPDA [WhatsApp chat] nan ruling, and everyone was almost laughing like, 'What nan hellhole is that?' basically. So, yeah, it is very, very silly."

And now Alex Wurz, nan president of nan Grand Prix Drivers' Association, has said he believes nan punishment was excessive too.

Wurz drew parallels pinch erstwhile Haas squad main Guenther Steiner, who became celebrated for swearing profusely connected nan Netflix Drive To Survive bid - and has been celebrated for it.

"How galore life organization services would Guenther Steiner person to service for utilizing nan F-word? He was glorified for utilizing nan F-word," he said.

"Netflix broadcast this worldwide, nary problem. But past to abruptly alteration for illustration that?

"I person to say, [the prime of words] is not my individual sensation arsenic a driver. As GPDA chairman, I person to officially opportunity that we will, of course, talk it internally, first scope a afloat consensus, and past we will see whether and successful what shape we will talk to nan FIA and nan president."

It's important to opportunity present that, wrong F1, location are different views connected this.

Verstappen, on pinch galore of his colleagues, feels not being capable to committedness occasionally successful a news convention denies drivers of nan expertise to beryllium authentic.

Others, though, while emotion nan FIA has not handled this good astatine all, judge location is simply a clip and a spot for these things.

Swearing complete nan squad power while successful nan car is understandable, moreover to beryllium expected, they feel. But equally, location is an anticipation drivers should beryllium alert of nan sensitivities of broadcasting and measurement their connection successful forums erstwhile nan adrenaline is not moving truthful high.

There is simply a wider issue, though. This each started from an question and reply done by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, successful which he said he wanted F1 to limit swearing connected TV broadcasts.

His connection successful nan question and reply angered Lewis Hamilton, who called it "stereotypical" and said it had a "racial element". Ben Sulayem's wide statement irritated nan drivers, which is astir apt why Verstappen swore successful nan original news convention - to make a point.

Many questioned why Ben Sulayem was wading into an area that, technically, has thing to do pinch him - TV is nan work of nan F1 commercialized authorities holder, Liberty Media.

Throughout F1, location is wide discomfort astatine nan measurement Ben Sulayem conducts himself, and nan ample number of controversies successful which he has recovered himself progressive during his tenure.

Should Red Bull beryllium allowed to usage RB to strategically return nan fastest thigh and 1 constituent from Lando Norris? Isn't this an unfair advantage? – Matt

The first point to opportunity present is that we don't cognize whether Red Bull Racing had thing to do pinch this, moreover if galore - including McLaren - had their suspicions.

RB said nan determination to telephone Daniel Ricciardo successful for caller tyres to spell for nan fastest thigh astatine nan extremity of nan Singapore Grand Prix was made because they were alert he mightiness beryllium dropped for Liam Lawson earlier nan adjacent title successful nan United States.

"If it was to beryllium his past race, we wanted him to spell retired connected a high," a spokesperson said.

Ricciardo gave different messaging - he was good alert his actions helped Red Bull's Verstappen by taking a constituent disconnected his title rival.

"I conjecture it [could] thief Max retired by Abu Dhabi, truthful possibly location is simply a Christmas coming coming if he wins by a point," he added.

Verstappen, likewise, said he had to "thank" Ricciardo.

At McLaren, meanwhile, location was definite discontent. McLaren Racing president Zak Brown has been raising concerns astir nan narration betwixt Red Bull and their 2nd squad for immoderate time, because of concerns it could beryllium utilized to create an advantage for 1 aliases nan different successful immoderate way.

And this is 1 illustration of really that could happen.

McLaren squad main Andrea Stella chose his words cautiously aft nan race.

"I did not spot it coming," he said. "I was a small amazed that nan highest privilege of Racing Bulls' racing successful Singapore was to spell and people nan fastest thigh of nan race.

"At nan aforesaid time, I person truthful overmuch sympathy, support and relationship pinch Daniel that I americium conscionable happy that he whitethorn adhd this fastest thigh to his way record."

It was pointed retired to Stella this could perchance travel nether nan explanation of unsportsmanlike behaviour, which is forbidden successful nan sporting codification and tin lead to penalties.

He added: "Look, this is simply a large matter. As soon arsenic you impact sportsmanship, you request to attack this pinch a consciousness of work that I want to have.

"I don't cognize nan facts. I conscionable saw Racing Bulls went for nan fastest thigh and they achieved it. To talk astir sportsmanship present would beryllium retired of place.

"We person to return it astatine look value."

But he did opportunity he wanted discussions betwixt stakeholders connected nan wide taxable of relationships betwixt teams.

"Potentially arsenic portion of a longer word conversation, we person to put nan athletics successful a position successful which astatine immoderate stage, being it trackside aliases being it mill side, teams behave successful a wholly autonomous manner, because this is simply a constructors' championship, a drivers' championship," said Stella. "It's not a conjugation championship.

"Therefore this needs to beryllium decidedly addressed but astatine nary constituent I person elements now to opportunity Racing Bulls went for nan fastest thigh to support Red Bull. I conscionable find it a small peculiar."

Given McLaren has been fastest for astir of nan season, if Verstappen does clasp nan title really would this accomplishment comparison to Alain Prost successful 1986? – Ross

This mobility is simply a reference to Alain Prost winning nan 1986 title for McLaren while facing Williams drivers Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet, whose car was mostly faster.

It is held up arsenic 1 of nan awesome seasons by a driver, and rightfully so.

Whether it is nan only - aliases moreover nan champion illustration - of a driver outperforming his car's capabilities complete a play is simply a different question.

In 2012, for example, nan Ferrari was only nan 4th fastest car connected average, and yet Fernando Alonso kept nan title conflict going to nan last title - and was highly unlucky to suffer retired to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.

In fact, he only did truthful because he was taken retired done nary responsibility of his ain successful 2 races successful nan 2nd half of nan season, by Lotus driver Romain Grosjean successful a start-line clang successful Belgium, and erstwhile nan beforehand helping of Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus punctured Alonso's rear tyre astatine nan first area successful Japan.

There is nary uncertainty Verstappen is driving an outstanding play successful 2024, but whether it is nan aforesaid benignant of business arsenic Prost successful 1986 aliases Alonso successful 2012 is questionable. Even if galore would reason Verstappen could beryllium an moreover amended driver than either.

For a start, nan Red Bull was without uncertainty nan fastest car - by a mile - complete nan first 5 races of nan season. That was ne'er nan lawsuit for Prost nor Alonso.

And nan declare successful nan mobility that this year's McLaren has been nan fastest car "for astir of nan season" is besides questionable.

Over nan first half, nan Red Bull was nan fastest car successful qualifying connected mean by 0.230 seconds. Verstappen won 7 of nan first 10 races, and took nan first 7 poles successful a row. Remember too, that Verstappen was dominating Austria earlier his precocious pit extremity went wrong, allowing Norris to drawback up.

And while nan McLaren whitethorn person been a lucifer for it successful galore races from Miami onwards, it was seldom demonstrably, evidently faster.

Since Hungary, though, McLaren person decidedly had an advantage connected balance. Their mean qualifying advantage complete Red Bull since past is 0.213secs. And complete nan people of nan season, Red Bull's mean advantage successful qualifying is now down to 0.1secs.

But let's not hide Verstappen qualified connected rod successful Belgium and astir apt would person won location had he not had a grid punishment for utilizing excessively galore engines.

Having said each that, Verstappen has decidedly maximised nan imaginable of his car complete nan season, operating astatine a consistently precocious level, successful a measurement Norris has not. After nan title connected Sunday, nan Briton himself admitted: "I've paid nan value for not doing a bully capable occupation astatine times."

And, correct now, if you were to do a straw canvass successful F1 arsenic to who has had nan amended season, I'm beautiful judge astir would opportunity Verstappen, and that he would truthful beryllium a much deserving victor of nan title.

But location are still six races to go. So let's spot wherever really things look astatine nan extremity of nan campaign.

If Mercedes motion Verstappen for 2026 and pinch Andrea Kimi Antonelli successful nan car for 2025, what will this mean for George Russell successful 2026? - Leigh

Lots of "ifs" successful that question, starting pinch whether Verstappen will time off Red Bull for Mercedes astatine nan extremity of adjacent season.

He is contracted to Red Bull until nan extremity of 2028, but BBC Sport understands location are mechanisms wrong his statement that would let him to time off successful definite circumstances.

If he chose to do so, Mercedes had seemed nan astir apt destination for Verstappen - they had talks successful nan summertime astir a move for 2025, and Toto Wolff says he is keeping an "open" transmission of connection pinch nan Verstappens.

But now Adrian Newey is moving to Aston Martin - who will besides person Honda engines successful 2026 - mightiness that beryllium astatine slightest arsenic tempting an opportunity for aft Alonso's statement expires successful 2026? It could good be.

Were Verstappen to spell to Mercedes successful 2026, evidently 1 of Russell aliases Antonelli would person to move on.

That would put Wolff successful rather nan quandary. Would he simply take nan driver who had nan champion play successful 2025? Well, Wolff says he expects that to beryllium Russell, fixed Antonelli, 18, is truthful young and would beryllium successful only his first season.

But it would besides mean Wolff giving up connected a driver he has nurtured since he was 11. Would he do that?

One tin spot why it mightiness beryllium Antonelli who was kept on. But if Russell needs to find a seat, he won't beryllium short of options. Red Bull, for a start, would person a vacancy, and he would beryllium correct astatine nan apical of their list.

Why are today's cars truthful overmuch much reliable than they were successful nan precocious 80s, early 90s? – Clare

It's a operation of factors. Back successful nan 1980s, erstwhile each cars were unreliable, by hold it mattered little if 1 peculiar team's was, arsenic it would mostly moreover retired by nan extremity of nan season.

But past definite teams started building successful bullet-proof reliability - starting pinch Ferrari successful nan early 2000s - and truthful everyone other had to travel suit.

And earlier long, reliability was a cardinal facet successful championships - conscionable inquire Newey, whose McLaren cars suffered for Mercedes unreliability complete a number of seasons, while Ferrari were dominating, and again successful 2005.

As exertion improved, power and monitoring of components became easier. So knowing that parts were reliable - and really to make them truthful - became easier.

A number of rules person changed, too, principally connected nan ground of limiting costs, which has further biased F1 towards reliability - specified arsenic nan limit connected nan number of engines allowed per play and truthful on.

And connected apical of that, location is an image question. Major manufacturers don't for illustration their products to beryllium seen to neglect connected specified a monolithic world stage, truthful they effort to make judge they don't.