F1 QA: Your questions answered after Australian GP

There is no appetite among F1 stakeholders for a tyre war, says Andrew Benson. Carlos Sainz led Charles Leclerc to a Ferrari one-two in Melbourne on Sunday. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen had to retire their cars. George Russell crashed in the final lap of the race.

The Pirelli tyres supplied to F1 are very thermally sensitive. They typically require gentle treatment to prevent them overheating. If they become too hot, then the grip never tends to come back. This is a very abnormal situation - and was certainly not the case when predecessors Michelin, Bridgestone and Goodyear were in F1.

Sainz will be close to the top of most people’s lists - he is too good not to be. But his attractiveness is less than it might seem because of the other drivers in the picture - primarily Fernando Alonso and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Sauber is most attractive long-term as it is morphing into Audi by 2026. F1 is looking for a driver to replace Fernando Alonso.

The Spaniard is out of contract at the end of the season. There is no prospect of a race in South Africa in the near future. The calendar is set to expand with three new races in 2026. The cost cap has prevented big teams spending their way out of problems.

It has also reduced the budgets of the big teams. So you could argue in that sense that it has made no difference, or perhaps even helped keep Red Bull in some sort of check. Aston Martin have definitely slipped backwards since their remarkable start to last season. Mercedes are struggling with correlation between their wind tunnel and on-track performance.

Aston Martin also use it while they are building their own brand new one. After three races, on average qualifying pace, they are the fourth-fastest team in 2024 behind Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren and just a smidge ahead of Mercedes. Williams are definitely in a bit of a mess at the moment - but it is a mess founded in the desire to progress. New team principal James Vowles has been open about the fact that, in trying to bring the team up to date in terms of technology and working practices.

Vowles felt obliged to take Logan Sargeant out of it and give it to Albon as their faster driver. Vowles is a smart guy with big ambitions and big ideas. But he needs time to turn around a team that is still suffering from the effects of close to two decades of under-investment. Verstappen’s actions in Singapore caught Russell by surprise.

F1 is a meritocracy. Put the best driver in the best car, and give all the others who are fast enough to at least give him a run for his money in less competitive machinery. It might not be pretty or entertaining to watch. Dr Michael Mosley investigates the positive effects of a bit more sleep.

Ben Whishaw stars in Adam Kay’s raw, ridiculous rollercoaster diary of a junior doctor’s life. It# 39;s up to the others to catch up.