P1 with Matt and Tommy - Fernando Alonso FASTEST in Bahrain FP2!

Episode Date: March 3, 2023

The Aston Martin hype train is at full speed as Fernando Alonso's tops FP2 ahead of both Red Bulls. We try our best to stay calm while also discussing what happened to the rest of the field during Friday in Bahrain.Follow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTok.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody and welcome back to the P. One podcast with Matt and Tommy. We are here. Formula One has arrived and not testing, not car launches, track action, Friday practice. We had FB1 and FP2 today and it was quite a lot spicier than we expected. Was it not Tom Bellingham co-founder? Absolutely.

I don't think I've ever been so excited and happy watching free practice. That was very, very exciting. And I'm really trying my best to stay level-headed and calm and think that it's all, it's only practice, it's only practice, it's only practice, but also me kind of exploding inside. Now, before we get into the Fernando Alonzo hype train, we need to read out our five-star review, which we do every single time.

If you want to be potentially read out, please go and give us a five-style review on wherever you listen and we will read one of them out. This one is from Vince in Australia. I love Matt and Tommy. So much, in fact, I wish I could buy them a pint. Please do. P1 not only keeps it light, funny and informative, but also as insightful as the best of them. Thank you.

Top of the grid, top of my heart. It's always a joy to get the notification of a new episode because I know the views are accessible and positive and the banter is top notch. Great to see you back, boys. I promise I do not write these. Shall I call you Vince from now on, Tommy? Thank you so much, Vince. That is so kind of you. And we love the fact that this podcast is something that, for whatever reason,

you look forward to and you try and find. So thank you so much. We now move to what happened in Friday practice. And the first thing we have to speak about, Fernando Alonzo, fastest in free practice two, quicker than both Red Bulls. Yes, it's just practice. But no, I will.

will get carried away because FP2 is the representative session. It's the one that's supposed to be the same or very similar to what it will be like in qualifying and the race on Saturday and Sunday. Fernando Alonzo looks mighty, does he not? Oh, my word. Yeah, well, he was second in FP1 and I was high, it's not representative, it's only practice. And then this one, more representative, you know, these are the quick runs you know alonzo was the only driver in the one 30s quicker by a 10th than both

red balls and their long run pace is amazing as well which i am trying so hard not to get excited about this sky germany actually said that he was the fastest on the long runs i thought i thought that probably pace wouldn't be all that and maybe maybe we'd see alonzo qualify like seventh behind all the top teams, but their race pace is good. They look, he looks a lot better than the Ferraris and the Mercedes right now. Why did you have to bring up Ferrari? For God's say, leave them alone. We're just talking about Philando Alonzo right now.

We'll get onto Ferrari's ailments. But yeah, also, whilst we're speaking about Fernando Alonzo being faster than both Red Bulls, also worth mentioning that Perez has looked more comfortable than Vestappen so far this weekend. FB1, F2, he's been quicker, has he not? So interesting to see if Perez comes out the blocks firing just like he did last year. Remember, you know, the start of last year, he was a match and sometimes quicker than Vestappen. Remember Saldi as one of a few examples. So that's something that maybe Vastappen is just chilling, but perhaps Perez has closed the gap for the start of the year again. He said he had set up issues, Max, again. So I,

boldly predicted that he would, well, not boldly, but, you know, I was so confident this year that he'd come out the blocks and be fine because it's not this huge change in regulations, but it does appear that Sergio is more comfortable at this moment in time, but not as comfortable as Fernando Alonso in the Astor Martin. I just can't believe this happening and I can't say it enough. There's not been a major change in the regulations. Obviously, last year we had that major change. and there was still no change to the top three. The top three were so much quicker and clear of everyone else.

And dare I say it, my prediction that we all kind of laughed at that I said that Alonzo had finished seventh in the title, Aston Martin would be the fourth best team. Looks like it could be wrong, but for not the reason we thought it would be wrong, it's absolutely insane. Don't worry.

We aren't getting ahead of ourselves. Also us, it's Friday, practice two of round one. I know. Tommy's like, yeah, Alonso is going to win the world title. Let's go look at the other side of the garage now. Lance Stroll, of course, a shock return, I would have to say,

considering the rumors and the whispers that were coming out about how damaged his wrists were. But he was back in the car, after, to be fair, a little while longer than perhaps he would have wanted because there was issues with the car in FP1. But more of an issue for Lance Stroll was the fact his hand was hurt. You saw a replay, especially into term one, where he had to actually change the position of his left hand to kind of go on top of the wheel.

And his team even said to him that you need to change your line through there to basically go through it faster. And he said he couldn't because of his hand. Now, if I'm Felipe Drogovic, I am absolutely on the blower, on the phone, if you don't know what a blower is, and say, excuse me, I'm the reserve driver for a reason here. why on earth is he in the car? He's not going to be able to do 57 laps without having to alter his hand position

a few times in the race. What happens when he goes wheel to wheel? There's all these things you have to take into account. It's crazy. I mean, we perhaps unfairly at the start of FP1, he was sat in the garage and we thought, oh, is it because of his hand, he's not ready or ever and he did seem to genuinely have a car problem.

But our first thoughts were like, what's Strugovich feeling? right now that he's not been able to drive. Lance has come back in and he's just set in the pits for the first 20 minutes. But then he did go out there. But then it appears his hand is giving him bother. And it's all right just having that radio message going, oh, my hands, you know, got a problem. But I was, we were shocked, weren't we on our, on our watch along by that.

Watching him go around that first corner, he could not grip, he couldn't grip the steering wheel to take, take the first turn. And that is just insanity in a Formula One car. Like you say, like if you're doing that now, either 57 laps into the race or like I say, when he's side by side with like four other cars going into turn one, it's a hazard. Like it could be dangerous. It's, I just can't believe that it's happening.

It seems insanity to me. But we also had the conversation of, dare I say it and correct me if this is unfair, but is Stroll kind of rushing back because he doesn't want anyone to get in that seat and almost be comparable to him and get more like talk of what's going to happen because it just doesn't seem like he's ready to be back. I maybe want to give Stroll a bit more of the benefit of the doubt

where I believe perhaps he knows that this Aston Martin is going to be bloody quick and he doesn't want to miss out. on the start of the season, because who knows how long the Aster Martin will be in the mix for, perhaps they will tail off, like Ferrari did last year,

if they genuinely are towards the front. So I can understand, Lance Stroll, as a racer, wanting to get back as soon as possible. But after FP1, FP2, they might be wondering whether this is actually possible because you'd have to think as well,

his risk is going to get worse over the course of the weekend. You've got Saturday, and then you've got Sunday. So they're going to have to make a call, if they so wish, before pretty much FP3 as to whether or not Stroll can actually race.

Yeah, exactly. They can't just leave it and then miss out on a load of points because Trugovic has done the test. It's crazy. I mean, Lance still was P6, which shows kind of how good that Aston and the potential that he's up there in P6

despite not even being able to grip the steering wheel properly. But yeah, maybe maybe they need to have a serious think whether because it's a it's a risk to put stroll in there and he can't race and it's all right going oh he needs to make the most of the astermartin while it's quick but astern martin need to bagging these constructors championship points and they can't afford to essentially get to qualifying lance gets to you know halfway through qualifying goes oh this is this is not good i'm not going to be able to do this race here and then they've just got zero points from him. Not good. Exactly. So it's a decision they can have to make because they

can't do it between qualifying and the race. They have to make their decision pretty much now, I would say. Let's move on to some other stories from free practice, one of which Nika Holkenberg, up in P5 in the Hass looking very saucy, it has to be said. Not so much on KMAG side, down in 16th, Benica Holkenberg on the soft tire, 31-3, 4-tenths off what Alonzo managed, and already kind of going along with what we both said, that Holkenberg isn't washed at all, and he's actually a very good driver with an unwanted record. Yeah, exactly what we said.

I picked him as the biggest surprise of the season. You said as well that you were very, very tempted to as well. And yeah, he's having had a great session and kind of settled in. to that Haas very quickly, and this is what we said that Haas do normally start the season good, and we both believe that Holcomberg is that guy to bag some big points. I mean, they would absolutely love it

if you would be P5 by the end of the race. That maybe looks a bit ambitious, but it's only practice, unless it's Alonzo and he's going to win the World Championship. Exactly. We're remaining very calm here at P1. A team that maybe not so calm, Mercedes

don't look so great do they at the moment P8 and P13 in free practice 2 Hamilton 8th and George Russell 13th it's just not quite where you would expect

if you are a Mercedes fan in particular this philosophy that they have decided to lock in with but they've not looked great at the moment again we are just taking

free practice 1 and 2 at the moment we did say for example that Alpine didn't look great after testing, but they had an all right outing with Gasly and seventh, the knock on 11th in free practice too. But Mercedes just not looking quite like they've got the handle of that car yet. No, so worrying time for Mercedes,

Hamilton six tenths off. George was nearly a second off along. I can't believe we're saying George Russell in the Mercedes. A second off Fernando Alonzo in P1. But yeah, they better be hoping their sandbagging and all their fans as well, because they took a risk, like you say, going into this new season, sticking with that philosophy and it was always going to be, we believe that this is the right thing and will come good eventually.

But if they end up having an absolute mare like they did the start of last year, because it seems like they've got rid of that porpoising problem, which we all thought, oh, the Mercedes would be amazing as soon as they get rid of the porpoising. they got rid of the porps thing, but they just don't look particularly good. It's very, very strange for a team like Mercedes. But we'll wait and see until tomorrow, at least. Qualifying.

It'll be interesting to see exactly where they are with the lowest fuel load. I just want to throw something else into the mix as well, that Aston Martin are a customer's Mercedes team. And we don't see that in Formula One these days where a customer team beats the constructor. So that could be double pain for Mercedes. If one, they're not very quick and two, they're getting beaten by a customer team.

That would be shocking. Yeah, their board meetings wouldn't be very fun, I can imagine. But hey, it is round one, free practice. Let's just keep reminding ourselves of this part, especially if you're a Ferrari fan. Science had a spin in free practice one. Ferrari had an issue with their rear wing because they're going, with a two-prong and then one-prong approach, and Leclair's one was one-prong,

as far as I'm aware, and it was wobbling all over the place. And Leclair also had clutch issues. So a fantastic start. If you are a fan of Ferrari or either signs or Leclair, which neither of us in this podcast are, of course. Oh, God. I mean, look, Leclair was fourth.

It's not too bad, four-tenths off Alonzo. Potential for at least qualifying trim. I'm not sure about long runs just yet. it's been something that they've struggled with last year and it looked like they were struggling a bit with testing as well with tire degradation. So whether that's an overnight fix, I doubt. But Ferrari, yeah, not the cleanest Friday you've ever seen.

Signs has spin in particular was quite a big moment. It was a huge moment. It was very lucky that there was a lot of runoff there because that could have been a, well, any other part of the track and you're going straight backwards into a barrier and maybe even ruining your gearbox as well. So he was very lucky that he could just continue. But yeah, Ferrari, after testing, we're all like, yeah,

they're going to be the biggest challenges to Red Bull. And of course, it's only practice. So we can't see the full thing. But it's just the way they- Every time we say that in this show. Yeah, no, right. But they started, it's just the way they've had these issues. If you think to last year, they were the big hype team

and were doing, extremely well and they've come out the blocks and it's not not been great. The rear wing issue in particular, the fact that they were, they changed it to the one prong holding the rear wing on instead of the two. And boy was that rear wing twerking down the, down the straight. So yeah, not good. And then for LeClaire to have clutch issues just to just to give Matt some, some stress. Sort of the wounds, certainly.

No, well, look, it's big brain thinking. Vasu is taken over and he's like, right, let's get all of the problems out of the way in practice so that we have a clean, beautiful, perfect qualifying race. That's exactly what they're doing. They knew it was a dodgy clutch the whole time. They were just testing to see the, I don't know, I'm absolutely waffling here.

But that's just Ferrari copium right there for you. Yeah, they can't hang about too much because, you know, Fernando Lanzo is going to be 200 points clear soon. So we need to catch up. God, you are getting well ahead of yourself right now. I can't wait to see what this will be like on the podcast this year. The downfall is going to be big. Genuinely, it's amazing.

It's amazing how you've changed teams as well because Vastappen will probably be his closest competitor. Oh my God, I am not ready for that. You have to stay in team Vastappan and I will have to go to Fernando Alonzo. I'm sorry, mate. You can't have both. Anyway, moving away from the front of the field, weird to say that with Alonzo and the Aston Martin, to the midfield.

It looks very tasty, to be honest. with you. You've got Hass there. You've got the Alpine. You've got even the McLaren's. Lando Norris, P9 today, not the worst. I guess, and it's just the same with how Lando always is. He gets the most out of that car, no matter if it's a decent one or not. So Lando not too bad, Piastri, not so great. And your prediction, wasn't it, Tommy, of one of the Williams out qualifying a McLaren, two positions, four tents between Piastri and Albans. It's going to have to be a stinker from Oscar in order for that to come true. Yeah, as wheelbrow is going to have to fall off for any hope.

Williams do look, despite how they looked fairly decent. They look like they are struggling. I mean, it looks like the midfield is insanely close from what we've seen. You know, you've got a Ferrari in 4th and 14th. You've got a McLaren in 9th and 15th. Don't you dare bring Ferrari into this as a midfield. team. I will lose my mind. But it looks like everyone's really close.

And then Williams and Alfa Tauri, which I think a lot of us predicted having a tough old time. There's a big, big old like almost half a second gap for those guys. So we could be seeing the pain train for Williams and Alphatari battling for the last spots. I mean, we predicted it when we were doing our championship order. are going to be a struggle for those guys if they're that far off the pace. And then, of course, you have the three driver train

of Alonzo Verstappen and Perez fighting for the championship. Absolutely. That's what we're not going to get on ourselves. Absolutely. Confirmed indeed. I cannot wait for qualifying. I cannot tell you. It is going to be brilliant. We're going to be live streaming on Twitch,

Matt P1, Tommy. So come and join us there tomorrow where the hype may well get to the point of our heads falling off and chairs getting flipped and all kinds of good stuff, especially for, And that's just from Tommy's side.

I don't have a clue what I'm going to do. Probably just weep into my chair as Ferrari got knocked out in Q2. But let's see. All right. It's going to be very exciting. Tommy, what are your final thoughts? Final thoughts are absolutely make it a must to join us on the Quali Watch Along. Because last year, I actually wasn't on our previous Quali Watch Along when Fernando Alonzo went P2 in Canada.

And I don't think I've ever cheered at sport more than, uh, them that moment just because it was so unexpected. So if he's actually battling for pole position, Sony practice, it's going to be incredible. And what a weird day when we were all here going, oh, let's say, Red Bull Walkover. I mean, they could still turn the engines up. But I'm super hyped for tomorrow now.

Our expectations have gone through the roof. I just want to save us up and did actually beat Perez in FP2 by 2,000s of a second. So I apologize for that factually being wrong. But still, Perez looking very close to Vestappen. I can't wait. It's either going to be amazing. The watch along will be, oh, my God, Tommy's, oh, my God, cheering.

Or it's going to be an absolute depression session with Tommy when he realizes Alonzo is actually a second off the pace. And this was all a ruse for Fernando Alonzo, just getting the headlines. Either or worth tuning in, Matt P1, Tommy. Come and join us there. We'll see you very soon for another video or audio or wherever you are. Goodbye. Bye. My final thoughts are I can't wait.

P1 is a stack producer. and part of the ACAST created network.