P1 with Matt and Tommy - Alex Albon RANKS every track on the F1 calendar!

Episode Date: August 18, 2025

Join us for the first of two episodes with Williams F1 driver and official friend of the podcast, Alex Albon!We've done something a little different today: it's a World Cup of F1 tracks, as Alex takes us through the circuits (and toilet facilities) he loves from across the F1 calendar. It's a fascinating insight into what F1 drivers really look for in a great track - but which circuit will finish on top? Tickets to our Delusion Tour are running out! The P1 live show's coming to cities in the UK, Europe and North America later this year. Get your tickets here: tix.to/p1liveYou can listen to an extended version of every race review this season over on our Patreon! You'll also access to every P1 episode ad-free, early access to tickets & merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with us and other F1 fans! Click here to sign up now: http://patreon.com/mattp1tommyFollow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody and welcome to the P1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. We are here today in person. We are. Oh my goodness gracious me. This is so weird. But it's not just Matt and Tommy. We've told you about this. We told you it was coming.

We're here with Alex Albon as well. Oh yes. Straight off a flight from Hungary. Yes. You are. They told me that there was this podcast. You know, most drivers are off to do their summer break right now. And I was like, you know what?

I'm going to come from Hungary to the UK. just for this. You had to be on P1. That's a big light, but I am here. We're part of your plan. The bit way you said it was a lie. There was enough of a pause, though, I think. This is great.

So today we're going to be ranking the 2025 Formula One circuits in a way that's kind of like a World Cup style, right? Tommy, we're going to be kind of doing head to heads. It can be based on whatever you want. Probably driver enjoyment. It's probably the easiest way to do it. Not like toilet facilities.

Exactly that, yeah. How big of the cubicles. We'll go for the driver feel and enjoyment. You know that's a big talking point with those drivers. Yeah, yeah. Like what tracks have good toilets and not good toilets? Because you know, in some paddocks, we have to, this sounds really bougie, but we do have to share the toilets with the public. And so you will be in the cubicle doing your thing.

And then there are some, you know, where you line up, like kind of does one. And you're all right next to each other. And there's just people like, can we have a selfie? you're like, can we, I mean, literally in the middle of something. And, well done and qualifying, mate. Yeah. Do you mind? Literally.

So it is a conversation, but for another episode. Just very quickly. Anything, like, generally the Middle East have it pretty figured out. Okay. Right, we haven't got much time, but this is not the conversation, thought the conversation was going to go. Okay, so like Matt said, World Cup kind of system, and we've actually done seeds as well. So we've got thousands of fans to vote, and we've got one to 24 seeds to match up. The top eight advance into the next round already, just to make it work,

which are Interlagos, Silverstone, Red Bull Ring, Cota, Spar, Monset, Suzuki and Montreal. So there we go. Right, let's get into the first matchup, Alex. Here we go then. It is Zanvort versus Imala. So we've wanted to say, really similar as well. I can see you're on the track right now. You're thinking about the toilet.

You're thinking about the toilets. No, we need to move away from the toilet. Honestly, Imla toilets were not good. Man, I can't take too long to choose. But I would say, personally speaking, I like Zandvot. Yeah, it's hardcore. It's way too narrow to be a Formula One track, but that's what makes it good.

So it feel like a karting track almost. It seems ridiculous what we're doing. And I'm all for it. And that's next up in a while, isn't it? It is, it is. It is. Yeah, next race. Okay, so Zanvort makes it through to the next round. Yes. We now have Bahrain versus the lowest seed 24th Miami.

Oh. That's controversial because they are... I... We did well in Miami. I did say this. I was going to say this. I will say, yeah. Miami.

Miami. I really struggle with Bahrain. I don't. I'm not one for Bahrain. No. What's great about Bahrain is the hotels are so close to the track. Honestly. Toilets, hotels.

It's quite nice to have the privilege of a five-minute drive, less than a five-minute drive to the track. Okay. Bahrain's an interesting one because it used to be that kind of circuit that people didn't really like the new tracks, but it's kind of been so long now. This was the ninth most popular fan track, Bahrain. Really?

To be fair, the racing is very good. I think that's what a lot of fan track. Yeah, that's smart. So Miami makes it through. Miami makes it through. All right. The underdog. We love it.

On pure personal reasons. That's fine. It doesn't matter what your reasons are. Okay, next up we have Saudi versus Mexico. Yes, Saudi. That is a proper track. I am scared on the day that One Driver is going to have a big crash there. We've been scared about it.

We say that it's kind of waiting for a really scary act. Because it wind it a little bit. But honestly, we're doing 300 kilometres and it's a blind spot to 100 metres in a lot of them corners. Just make the straight straight. Yeah. That would be nice. There's slowdown lapse quite terrifying that you're just constantly thinking, please don't have a car. Especially, we're like kind of dancing across where we think a car would be on their push laps.

So it gets a bit sketchy. You constantly have to think about where isn't the racing line to sit. Exactly. Yeah, that must be taxing itself. Okay, but Saudi makes it through because it is a proper driver's circuit. Next up we have China versus Abu Dhabi. China is an underrated track. Thank you.

Yes, I've been saying this is the MacGallagher Popper Pino. It's such a good track. Yeah, it is a good track and they've changed the tarmacs. The tarmacs got much better recently. Actually grippy this time. I like it, yeah. Yeah, easy. China.

Okay, China's through. We now go to Hungary versus Vegas. Hmm. So I will... would often put Hungary as not as good as what other drivers would possess. But Vegas is really much worse. Really? I find Vegas really tricky as a race weekend with the jet lag that we have to deal with.

Of course, yeah. And the event as a whole, with the timing of it. Because it is a night race in Vegas which puts it in its own little bracket of jet lag. That belongs in a different world. I think some people love Vegas as a maybe for the fan point of view. It's surprisingly the 18th most popular. I wouldn't have put that that way. I think if it continues to produce a good race every single year, I think you'll see a lot higher.

Yeah, that's true. Because on paper it's like massive straights, heartbreaking zone. Yeah. We get over there. That's very true. And I think I keep looking at it as a pure driving point of view. and silly things like Jet Lake. So what was the other one?

Hungary. Hungary. Hungary makes it through. Okay. Next up we have Australia versus Monaco. Australia. Definitely Australia. I love Australia.

Australia is an amazing track. Yes. And I look at it again. I look at it as a city. Really cool place to be. Monaco, I get to sleep in my own bed, which is nice. But it doesn't win out. Monaco is always a controversial one, 23rd most popular because I think...

Yeah, that's interesting. A lot of times are getting... That last race there, for the first time ever, I was kind of like, this is getting a bit ridiculous now. Even as the biggest hardcore Monaco supporter ever. Do you find that that you get there on Friday, you go, this is the best circuit ever and then you do interviews on Sunday and go, this is terrible? What's weird for me was it was the first time in my career around Monaco, where I didn't even feel the buzzing qualifying. It felt like a normal track.

Wow. Like I didn't feel the walls, which was weird, which maybe it might be experienced and just getting comfortable with being close to the walls, but it was like just a regular track. So I was quite relaxing qualifying when I was doing my laps and other years, it was like...

Yeah, that's really interesting. Yeah, but yeah, I know what you mean. I think they do need to make... Well, the cars will get smaller. A little bit. A little bit. Yeah. There's a lot of real estate around Monaco.

And I think we did have some really good conversations around making it better for overtaking. So let's see. Okay. All right. From 2026 and beyond? I think they can do it. Let's see if they do it. All right.

Tommy's love for the Monaco has just gone up by a million. Next up we have Singapore versus Spain. Hmm. I would actually, I don't really like layout Singapore. I like the city and I like the challenge of it physically. Barcelona, I've just done, I've done too many laps around there. We as fans are sick as saying it with how many laps we should. It feels like testing circuit when you get there for a Grand Prix for the fans,

never mind the drivers, I imagine. So Singapore makes it through. And finally in this first round, we have Baku versus Qatar. Oh, Qatar. Yeah, yeah. That's a really, really good track. I'm not sure how it comes across on camera

it feels like it does very much feel like what it is a MotoGP track that Formula One cars are going round but I can very much imagine it's a lot of fun for the drivers It's amazing to drive

It's yeah it's really well done The only thing I say is It's insanely physical Yeah To the point of that race Wasn't no way It was just everything's medium

to high speed really isn't there There's not Exactly and we also come from from what's the time zone, but we shift. I don't know if it's, where is Qatar, Jack? Qatar? Yeah. Just week before I'm in Davy. So yeah, exactly.

Yeah, we go to Vegas, which we've just been destroyed by, and then we go into Qatar, which is the most physical track of the year, with a master carryover of jet lag and a double header, into a triple header. And it still makes it through. Because it's a correct track. I'm there, yeah, exactly. Okay, we now have the next set of head to heads and this is where the top eight have got through. Okay, okay, okay.

We have Brazil versus Zandvort. Danvort. Not even a hesitation. I don't like Brazil. Can we just say Brazil was number one seed? Yeah. Number one. I think it's because it delivers a great Grand Prix every year.

The average score out of ten. Is that because of the weather? Maybe, and it just does deliver a really good race. The average score out of ten was not. 9.39 from thousands of people. It's just one of those tracks that... I find it, even though we just said Zanvort's kind of like a go-car track, Brazil feels like that. I think it's because these cars are so heavy now and they lose so much downforce in low-speed corners. It feels like you're turning a bus around a track. It's just...

I don't really get why Interlagos creates such good... Yeah. Because on paper, I don't think it would really work, but it just... No, it's true. But I think like a lot of corners, you can do different lines. Like sector two, if one guy goes wide, you go tight wide, tight wide. And you can offset your clean air. So you can generally stay. It's that turn one switch back. Exactly. You can, you can find pockets of clean air when you're battling in sector two and you can. Oh, I did. DRS. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. But it's gone. It is gone. Chow. Next up, we have Canada versus Miami.

It's weird. I bet you feel like, oh, he's even deciding which one. I do like Canada. Yeah, Canada is a really cool trick. As a driver, it's really fun to, when you get the balance over the curbs, and then you can gain that extra lap time. And there's like a technique on how you hit the curbs. That's like the details make it really fun.

Okay. A really exciting track. I think we agree as fans as well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's really good to watch. Especially in Polly.

And Montreal's super cool. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A lot of place. Yeah. Okay. Next up, we have the...

Bad toilets, sir. Really bad toilets. Improved the toilets. Maybe the worst. Maybe the worst. Wow. 24th city toilets. Next up, we have Cota versus Saudi.

Um. Cota versus Saudi. Cota. Austin. Yeah. A well-designed track. I find it a little bit awkward in many ways. Like I don't enjoy sector three that much,

but I appreciate what they've done to make the racing good. So that's fun. Are they annoying for drivers, those kind of slow, clumsy corners that... Yeah. Because it's quite fun to watch on TV when you can do the switchback. Yes. Yeah. What song is that when he goes, crisscross?

I don't know. Yeah. I know, it's what you mean. Cha-cha slide. Yeah, it does feel a bit cha-cha-slide, but we can deal with that. Not every track's perfect. Okay, Kota makes it through. Next up, Spa versus China.

China? Spa would win that one. Spar wins out. Keep it simple, amazing trick. They do need to extend, I think, the DOS zone. I'm surprised how bad the overtaking Scott in Belgium because it has all the recipe for a good racing track. on paper.

We've been having this conversation of like it doesn't, I think fans are kind of, it will always get like a bit of a free pass from the fans because it's so exciting. The drivers love it. We've had great races in the past. But definitely fans are starting to get a bit more like, come on spa,

when you're going to actually deliver a really good race for us? I think that, weirdly, that chican in sector three, if it was, if there's a different way you could get into some clean air would help because every turn one is fine. Like turn one, you lose too much between in the chican and then you can never really, turn one, you kind of stay the same and then you, that's it.

But also nowadays, the cars have, everyone's become so drag efficient. We're running so much less down force. We're so much quicker down the straits than we were in 2022 even. And so there's lip stream effects getting less and less and the DRS is less powerful. And the DRS is less powerful. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we need SPAR to get back to its former glory, I think. Next up, we have Silverstone.

First is Hungary. Silverstone. Silverstone. Okay, good. The fans will like that as well. It's the second seed is Silverstone. What do you love about Silverstone? Obviously a great track. The biggest thing is it's also really well done for racing. When I think about different lines, you need tracks I can offer you different lines. As soon as it becomes single file and you're stuck in the dirty air, then it's game over. So that's why we always mention. Every time we get the question of what's the ones like you would bring back, we'd say Sipang because that first kind of sector where you swap was always amazing. Yes, exactly.

Yeah, I think that would probably win this if I was doing this World Cup tournament. Next up we have Suzuki versus Australia. Ooh, some heavy hitters. And now you've kind of persuaded me into thinking more like big, big picture rather than just driving. Japan's my favourite track to drive on, so I would always, it has a soft spot, but it isn't that great for racing. It's right now, right? Yeah, and I don't know, it's, again, it's still, it's almost like the run into turn one. When you do it, it's like that, and you've got to have a lower drag to the other car and it gets a bit tricky.

So I'm going to say Melbourne, weirdly. Okay. Yeah. Do you get, like, disheartened at a track like, say like, Sizzou? when you go into the weekend, you're really excited to drive it. Yeah. Quality's amazing and all that kind of stuff. Then you get into a race that's almost like,

boring and you just step behind another car. Yeah, it can be like that, yes. And that's a good example. Like, let's say, I'm trying to think of examples, but sector one in Austin versus sector one in Suzuki, you would argue they're very similar. And I think they're designed, been designed around the same concept.

Yeah, yeah. But in Austin, there's a bigger chance to find pockets of clear air because the first bit's already flattened away. And then the way you can do your different lines is quite different. Whereas in Suzuki, it's way more single file that it's a bit tighter. And the corners are narrower. So you end up not being able to do the chish-chah slide. And so it's just little things like that make a big difference to the racing. So if you were creating a circuit, you would make it wide.

I make it wider, but I'd also, I can't even think, there will be an answer to this, I just don't know it. There are ways to create with Canber and with making it not an obvious single line. So different cars suit different. Right to the Malaysia again. Exactly. You can do, you can have a track that. promotes either cars that are more V-style or U-style.

And that's when you get you start. Got one singular race. Yes, exactly. Lovely stuff. We now go to Austria versus Singapore. Bad. Both bad. Yeah, so that's interesting because, again, this is clearly from a fan perspective.

Yes. And does surprise me, actually, Austria was the third most popular track on the whole country. Really? Yeah. I would, I will, I will, I will, I will, Conquer. No, no, concre is agree. You're disagree. I'm conkerre. I don't know. I've never liked bed boring.

Fantastic plays. But, I don't know. And even then, is it a racing that good? I think we've been quite lucky that for some reason Max and Lander have made it good for the last few. And if it was before, then it was Max and Charles. But in the midfield, it's not an easy you track. to follow either. Yeah, I guess you just have like, we've had like weird conditions that we've had sometimes have been mixed conditions, sometimes the track's been really hot and it's course upsets with Mercedes. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And then you obviously you have that really hard on the

brakes into turn to technically three. Yeah. Which does promote some kind of chaos. That's fair enough. So what is it just is it the middle sector that's not really that fun? I find it just, I mean middle sector sector three is fine. I think other drivers like it more than I do. I just find it's too much thinking time. It's just corner straight, corner straight, corner straight, corner straight, corner straight. There's not that much flow to it. So who is going through? Austria or Singapore?

Okay, Singapore's gone. And then finally in this round we have Monza versus Qatar. Oh, Monza. Yeah, I'm not surprised about that one. Monza has been much harder to follow than previous years. That's another weird one that you can't explain to people that on paper Monzi should be the best for overtaking. It's actually one of the worst.

Yeah. There's no wing on anyone. There's no wing. And it's really interesting when we do our qualifying runs now. If you look at the recent years, it's been often preferred now to run in clean air, which around Monza, do you remember like 2019, 2020 when we used to be playing quality games? And now it's gone totally the opposite and you'll find people doing clean air. And it's just that it's funny how these generation of cars, clean air is becoming even,

more powerful as the cars become more and more efficient dealing with straight line speed. Is it expected from 26 and beyond that we get more slip stream back? I think it would be, I don't know, but I see Formula E and I think I mean that's become a peloton now.

It won't be to that extreme, but how much more efficient would it be to be in... Okay, so maybe some racing. I like it. Fingers crossed. Fingers crossed. Okay, we're now into the semi-finals, aren't we? So, first up, Was it quarterfinals?

Quarterfinals. That's so confusing. Look at that. Right. Zandvort versus Canada. Uh, uh, uh, uh, I'm going to be selfish here. I still like Zanvort more as a track.

Okay. Yeah. You can be as selfish as you want. And I am. It's your grades. Right. Next up. Oh, Kota versus Spa.

Ooh, uh, Kota. Oh, yeah. Not even, yeah. Yeah. Cota's just like a hybrid track. It was a best of, isn't it? They designed it to be a best. If Cota had no runoff, it would be like another level.

Yeah, those thin strips of gravel that's been popping up here. Yeah. A little bit of that for track limits and things. The poor sweepers every session. Yeah, actually, to be fair. You're going to have Arnold Schwarzenegger. Just massive arm pump by the end of the weekend. This comes from sweeping up.

Okay, next is Silverstone versus Melbourne. Silverstone. Silverstone makes it through. And then it's Austrian. versus Monza. Monza. Monza. Monza makes it through.

We're hearing. To the final. No, semi-final. I'm getting confused. There's four of that. Can't be the final, Matt. Right, here we go. Zandvort versus Kota.

A kota. Yeah. Kota. Loving Kota, then. Yeah. I know where this is going. Yeah. Is it a mix of the racing and the fact

that it's a fun driver's track as well? Yes. Yes, exactly that. I think they have a nice hybrid. Generally, the stop pit stops can be one stop two stops. I can't remember what it was last year. And like you said, probably always owe now. Okay. Yeah. Cota. And then the other one, Silverstone versus Monza.

Silverstone. Okay. So we have our final. It is the Circuit of the Americas versus Silverstone. Alex Albon. Who is winning? Silverstone. Easy. It's not easy. But Silverstone, to me, you've got the weather, which is always unpredictable. It's still good racing. If you're four-tenths lower, you can still overtake. That doesn't happen at most tracks. You need to have a pace deficit of at least six, seven-tenths at most tracks.

And, I mean, some tracks are one across five sections. Yeah, the good thing about Silverstone is there's so many circuits on the F-1 kind of, like we've spoken about like Suzuki and Spahr and all these classics, but we're always complaining that it's so hard to overtake, whereas Silverstone for some reason, it does just work still. We had it with, Fernando, I overtook him on the last lap in Silverstone, and my pace advantage to him was around three and a half, four tenths. Perfect, that's what I should be.

And I could still overtake him. Yeah. That was Hungary. That's the magic number. Exactly. Hungary is around, I think it's around seven, no, it's over a second for a guaranteed one-lap overtake. so you can't they're big differences

you never get that delta really do you exactly you won't not with the midfield being so close now okay silverstone wins thank you so much Alex for joining us for this ranking any of those stand out to you because I guess you don't do this kind of head yeah well in the beginning I was being totally selfish and then I in the middle

of this toilets and distance to track from hotels and then I kind of played the I guess what the fans have been voting for which is more of, okay, what's the complete package track? But I still would have finished on the same. Same set. Always going to win. Okay, thank you so much, Alex, for coming on.

And we'll see you very soon. Bye. Bye. Bye. P1 is a Stack production and part of the ACAST's creator network.