From tracks we want added to questions about the site itself, here’s what you wanted to know from PlanetF1.com.
With all these investments in equipment, structures and personnel on Aston Martin, how long until Lawrence Stroll will feel the pressure for a change especially from their big partners at Honda and Aramco considering they have the potential to make it to the top but fell flat in their ambitions? – JP Lim
Good question JP. For now, I think Aston is right where they expected to be and it was only their incredible start to 2022 that raised everyone’s expectations.
Let’s put it into perspective. The four teams ahead of them are all far more experienced, have all won titles and have all been on their own journey for far longer than Aston has.
No doubt there is a ceiling to breaking into the top four but the thing about Lawrence Stroll is he has put his money where his mouth is. Which team is spending more than Aston on factory improvements and staff hires?
While Stroll continues to invest like that, who is signing to be pressuring him to make changes with the team? I think 2026 has been earmarked as their first season they expect to be competitive given Newey’s arrival and the Honda link-up. If things don’t go to plan by then, I think he may well consider some changes.
It’s said one lap pace is the first thing to go when drivers get older. Is Hamilton’s qualifying record against Russell this year a sign that his powers are starting to wane? – User 793169043
I’m not so sure about that. I think that Hamilton has instead focused on performing better in the races than qualifying.
It makes sense. When he was in a dominant car, he only needed to beat his team-mate and his best chance was to outqualify him whereas now, he does not have the outright speed advantage so maximising race potential is more important.
Russell has proven himself a good qualifier this year, out-qualifying Hamilton 13 times, but the seven-time World Champion is much closer when it comes to races. And as the Drivers’ standings show, points are handed out on Sunday, not Saturday.
Why is there the incessant promotion of Mick Schumacher, linking him with every available seat on the grid? He’s an average driver at best, yet PF1 seems to be promoting his cause at every turn. Other prospects such as Pourchaire or Bortoleto get a tiny fraction of the coverage PF1’s writers give Mick – are you being paid by the Schumacher family for this endless promotion? – The Laughing Policeman
