Yes, the better cars/drivers have an advantage, but the lesser cars/drivers aren't disadvantaged, if that makes any sense. Each car/driver is on the same circuit and subject to the same conditions each race. It's the team and driver's job to optimize their own situation. The smartest kid in the class doesn't disadvantage the rest of the children. What Hamilton did took an immense amount of talent, but he did so at the expense of his tyres and wear on his new engine, but since he was already taking a grid penalty the following day, he went balls to the wall and overtook other drivers everywhere he could to optimize his position and mitigate the damage from the penalty.To me if it’s unheard of to advance that much, it would seem they’re at an extreme disadvantage. Although true to the sport that’s how pole position is established in lap trials, but then since the best car/fastest driver gets pole position, that’s a huge competitive advantage. I think it would be more interesting if that concept was reversed, or even randomized.
Either that or just have several shorter races between three or four cars at a time so it’s not so damn crowded lol.
New regs next season suggest a lower budget cap which might bring the poorer teams into stronger contention, but I'll never cede that they've been disadvantaged. If anything, it'll be the richer teams being disadvantaged. I know that's a hot take, taking the defense of the privileged, but the fact is it's already a rich person's sport; if you can't afford to compete, get out; if you want to continue to throw money at finishing out of the points (11th-20th,) that's your prerogative.