P1 with Matt and Tommy - F1 Testing 2025 – Day Three

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

We saw a ridiculous variety of red flags on the final day of F1 testing, including some utterly unacceptable stuff from the FIA. But there was plenty of running for us to over analyse and frantically alter our predictions…You can listen to an extended version of this episode - and every 2025 Race Review podcast - over on our Patreon! You'll also get every P1 episode ad-free, early access to live tickets and merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with us and other F1 fans! Click here to sign up now! Follow 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 back to the P1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. The final day of testing is done. It's dusted. It's complete. We are finally hurtling towards the first race of the season in a couple of weeks time. No more practice, Tommy. Well, there is actually three more practices coming before. No more testing.

How are you feeling? Yeah, it was... An unusual test to say the least. No, I feel like it was just, if anyone watched the watchalongs that we did, I was so confident that there'd be no red flags because Formula One cars don't really break down anymore. And no Formula One car broke down on track, but apparently every other weird thing that could have possibly happened, happened to cause red flags, which we'll get into.

We will get into that right now. We're not messing around. First question, P1 Patreon member. Actually, no, before we do that, before we start, I'm going to say, because Tommy's written it down, and I need to not forget to say it, is to sign up to P1 Patreon this year, because we're doing extra chat at the end of every single race review podcast this year. And we're going to do some exclusive Patreon waffle at the end of this podcast as well. So if you enjoy our waffle and you want some more waffle that doesn't deserve to be in the main waffle, we're not taking any waffle away from you. We're adding extra waffle on top of the waffle. Does that make sense?

Absolutely. Let's get into the first question, and it's from B1 Patreon member, Tim Tomato 08. Why was there a bus on track? Now, we're kind of humorizing this, right? If that's a word. We're kind of, oh, it was a bus on track. FIA, silly billies.

Bantor, yeah. There was a bus on track during live Formula One testing. May I remind you that I believe Logan Sargent lost it at that exact corner. Now, maybe the bus driver was confident because he knew that Logan Sargent wasn't on the grid this year, but either or,

that is outrageous and it is dangerous. And I'm not sure what the bus driver was thinking. My personal opinion is that bus driver was acting alone. Okay? There was no other accomplices in this. Why he's gone on the track, I don't know, but it was, I couldn't believe it. Just, especially the worst.

The worst part of the track, to be honest, for lockups running wide, is that really difficult downhill left-hander? Yeah, you think that it would actually be like a fine place to be because you're like all on this runoff. But like you mentioned, Logan Sargent spun backwards there at very high speed. Formula One cars are hurtling towards that corner at very high speeds. And if something goes wrong, which is not either spinning or, you know, something wrong with your brakes, you know, they are testing as well. So this is going to get, I think, swept under the rug a bit because it's testing. But this doesn't make it any more acceptable. They vowed that this would never happen again after what happened to Jol Bianchi.

And people may think that this is kind of a dramatic thing to say, but it's not because they're a live Formula One cars. It doesn't matter that it's testing. There are still drivers going around that track at, you know, 200 miles an hour. And it's just unacceptable to have a vehicle on track. Because Formula One cars as well, all the work that the FIA do and everything and crash tests and stuff, they're crashing into other Formula One cars and Armco barriers. They're not crashing into random like buses and things. And that could have been an absolute disaster.

They're so lucky that that didn't happen. I don't think the fact that, oh, it's only testing, calm down. It's not an excuse, in my opinion. No, I mean, they're still doing exactly the same thing as they would be in. races, obviously. People might argue, they're not pushing as hard or, you know, it wasn't raining. There are things that obviously made it safer in the sense of there's less likelihood of the car losing it, but that doesn't matter. It's a live Formula One racetrack. And I was absolutely baffled to see it out there. What were they thinking? I don't know if there was anyone

on the bus. When I looked at the picture, I think it was just, I think it was an empty bus. Yeah, I assume some fans haven't just got the greatest kind of bit of F1 access of all time. I did see that there was replies to the tweet that I put up of the bus on track. I think it's it's weck, isn't it, whether you can do or not wet. Oh, the circuit safari. Yeah, it is wet. Yeah, the circuit safari at food. And it's like basically felt as though it was similar to that. But anyway, the bus should not have been on track. It was highly unset and acceptable. I think the FIA are lucky, as you say, that it is F1 testing and that they're not going to get the same criticism. It will be investigated, though. There is, they have confirmed that it will be, basically. As they

blooming well should. Yeah, because it's still a Formula One session. Exactly. So that was one red flag, but we had another red flag. And again, it was not due to a car stopping or anything like that. It was used to glass on track on the pit straight. So one of the panes, window panes in the sort of starter box had fallen out somehow. And it was just glass everywhere, which is obviously the worst thing possible for cars going 200 miles an hour down the pit straight to have glass everywhere. Now this one, we're not going to be as critical. Accidents happen, exactly. And it was swept up very quickly and noticed and sorted. But it was bizarre, nonetheless. I don't think, again, I've seen anything like that happened before.

Yeah. And thankfully, it wasn't in a race. So they could have just gone, no virtual safety car. because hopefully if that did happen in a race they wouldn't do their repeats of Qatar and what happened nice little nod to that yeah what happened but no um just what a bizarre time of f1 testing that like you say no car broke down on track nothing like that and we had a power cut rain in barrain a bus on track and glass on the ground they're the only red flags that we had were for those kind of incidents. Very bizarre. Yeah, ridiculous.

If you've been given those four scenarios and been told to choose one of them to happen in testing, let alone all four. I don't know which one is more far-fetched. I know. It's crazy. Anyway, let's now fast forward to Formula One chat.

George Russell ended up fastest ahead of Max Verstappen. Then it was Mr. Alex Albon in third in the Williams. First question. NT Sacco underscore the great. Russell versus Vestappen, sign me up. Look, testing means nothing. Charlotte Clare wasn't in the top three. Ferrari wasn't in the top three.

You had a Williams there. Of course, Carlos Sines was fastest before, yesterday, in fact. And then today, Albonn up in the top three. Russell versus Vastappen, as that is the question that's been asked, would be very, very spicy. It would get tasty A.F is the only way I can put it.

Drive to survive would be loving life. Because it does seem as though, from F-175, all is not well between Russell and Vestappen in that camp. And that's because I don't think you can take some of the words back that you've said about each other, particularly Russell to Vestappen, calling him a bully and things like that. It's hard, I mean, from Vestappen,

side, it doesn't seem, whatever. He doesn't care, does it? He doesn't care at all. But from George's side, I don't think all is absolutely brushed under the carpet. It is funny that, I know this question is maybe a little bit of jest, but it is funny how, you know, we, we shouldn't take testing times. Is it just because they're one, two, in the final part of the test, doesn't mean it's going to be a Russell Vestampian. Russell Vastampian? Vestampian, I'm too, I just combined the two.

He's won so many titles. I've combined Vestappan and champion. Russell versus Vastampian, who will win? That's your best word slith. What 24 hours of testing does to a man. And yeah, it is quite amusing to me because Russell, less, probably more so, but Vastappen, every kind of talk going into testing,

and even after the first couple of days, it's like, it's Ferrari versus McLaren, who's going to be world champion? Oh, it's going to be either one of the Ferrari drivers or Lando. And Formula One didn't even mention George Russell when they were kind of doing there. Who's going to be, there's going to be a championship fight this year. There's also, as I've kind of mentioned, that a lot of people are just writing off for Stappen. And it's understandable that he's not as favoured going into the year as he normally is, but it is crazy to me how many people are just like

now Red Bull, Red Bull are finished, it's not going to be anywhere it's like it's Max Verstappen, come on and those two ended up first and second, so. They did, it certainly did. Now, of course, we don't think it's just going to be a two horse race with this one, but as you say, they finished first and second. Next question, one Pablo SF1. Should it be mandatory that the last 30 minutes of testing on the last day

should be only fast qualifying laps. Here we go, ding, ding, ding, let's make Effield, one testing more exciting. No, how do you mandate that? Excuse me, everybody, I would like you to push on quali laps for the last 30 minutes. And then you've got the likes of, I don't know, Yuki Sonoda by the looks of things today. Just rolling around, chilling, doing slow laps. No, I'm pushing.

This is a quali lap. How do you say what is and what isn't a quali lap? You can't. So, no, it's testing that the teams do whatever they want. Next year, we can all complain that they're doing three days behind closed doors in January. because it's the new regulations. I don't think we can... No, not that I don't think.

I know. We should not be asking them to change testing for the sake of entertainment. We're lucky enough as it is to see it. I've quite enjoyed, and obviously very lucky to do this job, Tommy, but I've loved having it just on the side, just at all times.

Just Formula One, just encompassing me, like giving me a nice warm hug saying, I'm here, I'm here and I'm here to stay from the nine months. with cars going around. Yeah, it's the absolute dream. No, the dream is actually the race. But this is the second dream, and I'll take it for February.

No, we should not have 30 minutes of qualifying. Even though I'd love to see it, we're not going to get it. I'm going to even argue that I wouldn't love to see it. Because, and this is maybe a bit, old man yells at cloud reaction. But I like that we don't know the answers going into the first race of the season.

and the reason Lewis Hamilton's moved to Frye was so exciting is it came out of nowhere. In the days of social media now, you kind of know everything that's happening. You know, Kimmy Antonelli going to Mercedes would have been the most insane thing if it had got announced completely out of the blue, but we knew for about two months it was happening. You were just waiting for the actual final announcement. And I kind of like the fact that we've not ended testing with Lando Norris, as an example, going half a second quicker than the field and was going, oh, my country.

Clare another team to beat this year. So true. There's so much hype going into this season of it that's going to be a close battle between those top four teams. Actually going in and not knowing, I think, is so much more satisfying for the championship. You want the delusion. You want the delusion. I want the delusion. We all want to believe. We don't want quality laps to see Hamilton and Leclair seven and eight tenths behind and it's being ruined before we've even begun. Very true. We've got hype going into Australia and of course different tracks coming up that could change the pecking order in the first few races. Next question, P1, Patreon member, TVR driver.

Who do you think are the top three teams now? Okay, all right. We're going to do it right here on the spot because I haven't thought about it. Who do I think the three fastest teams are? In first place, no, in third place, let's do the tease. In third place, I have. We actually do your order and not just three. Yeah, no, because then you do third, then I'll do second.

Or is this spoiling our, uh, uh, No, because we do the full championship table. Yeah, true. We don't do teams championship table. And it could change. Our opinions have changed online, Tommy, even though people don't like that. In third position, I have Red Bull. I think Red Bull are third fastest car overall.

Who do you think is third? I will also go Red Bull. Oh, second fastest, I think, Ferrari. This is really boring. We're meant to disagree. No, we don't need to. It's fine. The first place, obviously has.

Yeah. Williams, no, Williams clear. Williams Clear. Williams Clear. Williams dominant. Good Boar fans. Of course, McLaren. Of course McLaren.

Yeah, there you go. Right. I think it's very close, though. I think it is close. We will see because McLaren, they looked devastating on day two. We reflected on it. Then in day three,

commentary, we're going, well, actually, the tires were different and we never know what the difference is between them. And it almost felt as though someone had a chat going. Please watch this season. Yeah, yeah, literally.

Guys, we don't actually know and let's not say that McLaren are really, really fast. Don't ruin the four teams able to win every single race narrative. Yeah, exactly. Next question, P1Petry, remember, Chiller. Could this be Williams' best year since 2015? Goodness gracious me, this is very much riding on the hype train.

I have said from day one that James Vowles could be the goat team principle in 10, 15 years. I think that he has got all of the characteristics to be a fantastic team leader. So we will start to see the James Vow's effect that I believe he can put on a team. They've got a brilliant driver lineup. Carlos Sines is a fantastic signing for them,

if not personally for Sines, obviously a downgrade from Ferrari. And Alex Albon, he may well flourish with the fact that he's got a teammate that we can actually compare and contrast and see just how good hours. So from a driver's side, yes, from a car side, it looks promising. We're not saying that Williams are fastest or even the third fastest car, but they could well be in that sort of

fifth, sixth area that would be seen as an achievement for this year, especially as all the rumblings, all the noises coming out of that camp is we're focusing for 2026. Yeah, exactly. the, I mean, 2016 they finished fifth in the constructors which they'd absolutely take if it's, so if it is their best year since 2015

when they obviously had that amazing year and they looked very quick with the Mercedes engine. Yes, I believe that was mainly down to the Mercedes engine in the back of that car. I believe it was, yes, and them having insane straight line speed and being amazing at like Austria and stuff. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. But apart from kind of that stage of Williams, of course, they dropped right to the bottom, didn't they, with George Russell, Kubitsa Latifi. They were really struggling to score even a point. And they've worked their way up. And I can't see that there's any possibility that Williams aren't scoring a lot more points than they've done for the last few seasons because they've got two brilliant drivers. And the cars are looking hooked up as well. So, yeah, it could be a really good year for Williams, even though James Vowell's still said that even this year,

it's all towards 2026, but I still think it's an amazing opportunity this year for Williams. Just don't break everything as that infamous quote. It's now backfired that James Vow said of break everything, but don't keep crashing the car because budget cap exists. Exactly. And I think with those two drivers, they're in much safer hands than previous years.

Next question, LMC Farline. Is Adrian Newey beginning to regret his move looking at how behind Aston are? No. I think if there's any team on the entire grid that are so focused on 2026, it's unreal that they won't even remember this year, it's Aston Martin.

They are in a slump at the moment. They've been obviously on a downwind. trajectory since or downward trends since, obviously Alonzo getting a huge amount of podiums a couple of years ago. It's all about 2026 now. I know for a fact, even though I don't work at the team, I don't know any of these drivers or people personnel personally. It makes absolute logical sense from Lawrence Stroll right at the top,

all the way to Adrian Newey and the drivers that they need to focus on 26, because that's the opportunity for them. They've got the greatest designer in the history of the sport there. he's not going to be able to change really anything about this car. It's set in the regulations. It's set for this year. It's all about 26. Yeah, of course, Nui's, I think a lot of people maybe don't realize that Nui has no part in there yet.

I don't think he actually even starts at Asthma, until literally tomorrow, first of March. So, I believe so, yeah. So he's not even there yet. So this car, I think a lot of people, having seen the headline news and maybe kind of more casual observers will go, kind of maybe be shocked when Fernando Alonso is battling over 14th in the first race and going, but this is an age for a newie rocket ship. What's happened? He's not really there and can't influence it yet.

But would he regret it because they're slow? Definitely not, because look at Red Bull that he joined them when they were very much a midfield team. They hadn't won a race. they were kind of the joke team in Formula One of why is an energy drink bought been kind of getting into Formula One and of course he joined them and he won loads and loads of championships with them

and they were absolutely nowhere a complete midfield team knew he joined them and he turned them around into the team like we know now so it's a challenge for him but yeah it's all about 26 for them yeah March the third Adrian knew he starts so there's no challenge

chance she's going to be able to have done anything, although, you know, there's this gardening leave and all this sort of stuff. You do wonder with personnel and things like that. I'm sure there are, throwing paper planes of notes into the afternoon. There are things to read ahead of their start date. So, okay, so that'll be interesting to see what Adrian can do. Maybe he just walks in and goes, oh my goodness me, what is going on here? Next question, Fergie's right ref. Rank the teams in terms of performance from one to 20 after testing. Well, firstly, there are not 20. teams. I'm assuming you meant drivers. And we're not going to do that as much as we've included your remark statement, question, whatever you want to call it, because we are going to be doing

our 20th to first championship prediction, which I know a lot of you love to look back on and realise just how bad we are. But sometimes we get things very right. That's what we know about. Well, yeah, how little anyone knows. I'd like to see anybody that gets 20th to first correct at this stage of the season. Yeah, and if you do, that's an insane thing to happen. exactly so I'm looking forward to that one though yeah me too because it's so much more unknown it's not going to be like oh red bull a five seconds quicker than everyone

and kind of yeah it's it's going to I think this is what people love and hopefully should well happen this year with our predictions and things so we're actually going to have lots of differing kind of opinions on who's going to do well and stuff because it is so insanely close it certainly is

and that is that. The final day of testing wrapped up. Actually, before we go, I think that there's one final mention on the overall lap times or laps that were put on the board. Big shout out to Luke Smith who put this together and put it on social media because, yeah, it's quite interesting to see the insights there. And the lowest mileage team of the entire test, Red Bull. Red Bull did 304 laps. Then it's 306 for Aston Martin, 354 for Salba, 381 for McLaren, 382 for Ferrari, so I always knew Ferrari we're ahead of McLaren, Williams 395, Alpine 405, Racing Bulls 454, Hasse 457, and Mercedes one lap further ahead with 458. Quite a discrepancy of mileage between Mercedes and Red Bullitt has to be said, 150, yeah, 154 laps, should have just backed my maths, between the two of them.

see it maybe not as much mileage for Red Bull although not a complete disaster no it really isn't I'm not just saying this because Red Bull a bottom and I'm trying to save my blushes but I think if it had been like a hundred laps or something that's when you kind of go oh dear because we can look at mileage

when there's a kind of people are breaking down left right and centre and you look back to McLaren Honda where they were doing sometimes even like five or six laps in an entire day which is insane to think about now but these these cars are quite quite bulletproof it seems uh still had a few problems uh of course i think maybe only Mercedes based on that that um kind of number uh didn't have all too many issues um because we did see a few cars go back into the garage mclarum ferrari even you know the top teams um Hamilton and just at the end

when we were kind of maybe hoping for that Ferrari hype train glory run well I'm sure you were and they just spent the last kind of 30 minutes in the garage so yeah no real disaster I think there

for any team the only major thing that really happened was that we've not mentioned is Olly Bearman's kind of what was it called the engine cover just disintegrating at one point

Yeah, we had a spin as well, I think, for Ocon and Max for Stappen as well. Let's not forget, the championship was back on at that point when he spun at term one. So yeah, that is it. Thank you everybody for tuning in. As we said at the top of the show, we will be continuing on for a little while longer for all the Patreon legends out there. If you want to come and join along, please do. I think it's patreon.com for slash Matt P1, Tommy, I think. Sure is.

Yeah, sure is. There you go. So, yeah, exclusive waffle coming your way. But if not, thank you, everybody, for tuning in. and we can't wait for Australia in a couple of weeks and we'll see you very soon. Lots of love. Bye.

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