Lewis Hamilton wants changes made to F1 decision-making process

The Strategy Group, the F1 Commission and the World Motor Sport Council all play their part in defining the rules, although the latter primarily only ratifies the decisions made by the former two.

"I feel at the top end there are probably way too many people making decisions, who probably don't have a lot of understanding of what it's like in the car," said the three-time world champion.

"All the people making the decisions have different opinions, and if they don't all agree then something doesn't get done.

"My understanding is there are teams with more money, more say than others, and the problem is for us drivers, half of us will say one thing and half will say another.

"I don't know what the answer is, but there needs to be less people making the decisions, and hopefully making the right ones."

While F1 took a lot of criticism for the way changes to the qualifying format were handled during pre-season, Hamilton also highlighted the 2017 regulations as an example of the problem.

"We need more mechanical grip and less wake so we can get close," added the Mercedes driver.

"At the minute you just see us sliding around because we don't actually have a lot of grip, then we lose with the wake. There's just nothing you can do.

"We are all capable of racing much closer, if we were able to get closer, so there need to be changes to enable us to do that, but they don't seem to be making those changes.

"Give us five seconds more downforce it [the racing] will be exactly the same, just five seconds faster.

"But they won't listen to what I say on that, or what us drivers say. They'll make something else happen.

"They'll probably give us more downforce and the tyres won't be any better and you'll see the exact same race next year."

According to race director Charlie Whiting the drivers have a say across various platforms, however, Hamilton feels their views are not listened to, which is why he rarely attends, and when he does, he often decides not to offer an opinion.

Hamilton said: "I feel it's a benefit to the hierarchy who make decisions to at least ask the driver 'What is your issue in the car?' 'Does making one paddle for the start make it harder or less?' Things like that.

"We know the car, what's happening in the car, but they've never asked us what the limitation is when we're behind another car, yet they can rely on us for those things."