Asked if they could make one change to improve the sport, Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg and Brendon Hartley all agreed that they would like to see a more level playing field, whereby they might regularly challenge for poles and wins.

Sebastian Vettel, on the other hand, is more concerned about attempts to change the race format, fearing that the idea of sprint races would damage the sport.

"To make it a better sport, I think we need to make it more competitive," said Perez. "At the moment we've got used to the idea of F1 being the midfield group and then the front-runners.

"I would like to make it a lot closer," he continued, "so that everyone can have the chance to fight for victories and so forth. I think that would make the sport a lot bigger."

"A reverse grid would have helped me the last few races," joked Hartley.

"I think Sergio made a good point though," the New Zealander continued. "The top three teams are out of reach, and though the midfield battle is really, really good, if we could be a bit closer that would be better.

"I don't know about technology," he added, "but personally I have always liked the fact that F1 pushes the limits of technology and I like being involved in that. But I guess we could make it a bit more... so the fans can understand it a bit more.

"The engine regulations are very tricky to understand," he continued, "even for the team members sometimes, so maybe a bit more simplicity in certain areas."

"We need to promote the excitement, drivers battling for position," said Hulkenberg, "but the aero has just become very dominant. It always has been, but now maybe more.

"Obviously, that doesn't create the best racing, so we need a way to keep the performance but lose that characteristic of the car, to allow the car to be close... making a move now is really frustrating, you make an effort, you get behind a car, but as soon as you get there it's like somebody pulling the plug. You're next with not much there, your tyres overheat and then it's a downward spiral. So anything to fight that would help make it a better show."

"They're all valid points," smiled Vettel, "but the first action should be to double the cylinders... then take the batteries out, though maybe we need one to start the car."

Asked about two races over the course of the weekend, the German's response was immediate. "No, no," he said.

"The format is fine," he continued, "I think it would be wrong to look at changing the format, I wouldn't be a fan.

"It's been like this for a long time, a Grand Prix is a Grand Prix, if you make it half then for some people a boring race is only half as boring, but that's not the way I look at it. It's a challenge, it's a Grand Prix distance and it's something that... you do your first race and you're surprised by how long the race can be, it's a physical and mental challenge and if it became a sprint race it would become a different sport."

Check out our Thursday gallery from Hockenheim, here.