P1 with Matt and Tommy - Miami GP Driver Ratings

Episode Date: May 6, 2025

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Hello everybody and welcome back to the P1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. Driver ratings. We are here to give our opinions, our numbers to each and every one of the drivers on the grid for the Miami Grand Prix. Remember, it's a sprint weekend as well, which means it makes it that ever slight bit harder to give wonderful numbers to drivers. Tommy, how are you feeling ahead of this one? Indeed. Yeah, the sprint's always a little bit more difficult, isn't it, with the fact that you have two different races essentially to grade and how you weigh up each option based on, you know, there's still points handed out, of course, but one is less. Bro said indeed when I said, how are you feeling ahead of this one? That's absolutely crazy. Is indeed a feeling?

Is indeed a feeling? What's the feeling? Like, give me an emotion. The feeling is I really enjoyed the weekend and I'm feeling good. I'm looking for it. There we go. We got a feeling out of Tommy. Perfect. Right, let's get straight into driver ratings. And we begin with Gabrielle Bortoletto. Started the sprint in 18th, finished 15th, started the main race in 13th and did not finish. Gabriel Bortoletto gets a six out of 10 from me this weekend. He was looking good for sure. The sprint was nothing really to note with the fact that he was promoted one position after Vastappen got that penalty. We'll talk about Max's sprint, I'm sure. just to rub that in into Tommy's feelings ever so much. I just love it. I enjoy it. But then the main race, you know, he,

you're talking about shells as well. Sorry. No, no, no, no. We'll get onto that later, man. We'll actually, might just mute you for that part. But then in the main race, yeah, he was running pretty well. Obviously, didn't finish. So it's a kind of what could have been.

With my grade there, it could have gone high. I could have gone lower. He was definitely running strong. But yes, it's a shame that his engine started to fail around lap 30, I believe. But definitely a better weekend for Bortoletto. Yeah, I've gone for a 7 out of 10 for Bortolete. I think the main race was very impressive from him.

And particularly qualifying, I think he was one of if not. I think with Ocon, the star of qualifying to put Asabur P-13 as a rookie. It's very, very impressive. And then in the race, made a good start, stayed there, fighting had join a V-carb, which I don't think. a salba should have been doing and it's very easy to just give a five and go oh it's it's porteleto nothing happened but you've got to look at the the machinery he's got and the retirement of course wasn't his fault so uh you know if he'd have not had his retirement could have got a brilliant p13 and

i think that's a very very good position for a salber so i've gone for a seven okay dokey at the fans well they gave him a five so there you go tommy you've just outed them immediately there. Let's go to Nika Holkhamberg. Started the sprint in 11th, finished 9th, started the main race in 16th, finished 14th. I have gone for a 7 out of 10 as well for Nika Holkhamberg. His sprint qualified better in the sprint, which is unfortunate for him because that's one that's very difficult to score points in, particularly when you're in a cell, but still couldn't get a decent result. I know he got 9th, but there was obviously, of course, quite a lot of penalties, so just missed out on a point there. And, and, and, and, you know, and, you know,

And yeah, driving the worst car on the grid, he didn't qualify particularly well in the main race. But moved his way. That's the Aston, isn't it? I don't know. I think it's a mix between the two of them, the two green dustbins. And, yeah, I think the fact that he made his way through the pack and on the back of Bortoletto, he deserves a seven. For Niko Hockleberg, I have gone for a seven out of ten as well. I feel like this might well have been Bortoletto's grade had he finished.

But yeah, Nico had a, well, as you say, one position away from a point in the sprint. I know that was those penalties, but Nico kept his nose clean, started the sprint in 11th. And then for the main race, yeah, it was harder to obviously get anywhere near the points. But a much more pleasant weekend from Salbus, so well done to them. The fans gave him a six. Alex Albon started the sprint in eighth, finished 11th, started the main race in 7th, finished 5th. I have gone for a 10 out of 10 for Alex Albon. I don't feel like what's on paper really reflects what the weekend he has had,

especially in the sprint. Of course, he got a penalty there for failing to stay above the minimum lap time under the safety can. It's like, oh, it's such an easy mistake to make, I would imagine. Because without that, he finished fifth on track, which would have then been fourth with Vastappen's penalty, and then finishes outside of the points after all of that in the sprint. But then in the main race, P5 on the road, he said himself he could see the podium on track. Williams, relax yourselves because Ferrari, this is literally going to turn into a Carlos Sines promotion if it keeps going this way.

But yeah, I think Albon once again, we've been saying it all season. And again, Miami is a great example that Albon has stepped up wonderfully and really taken it to his new teammate Carlos. I have gone for a 10 out of 10 for Alex Albin of course. Easily the best driver of the race. Would have won driver of the day if they'd have actually, well, there's a sprint as well, of course. Easily the best driver of the race. And of course, the penalty that he got in the sprint, like you say, would have been fourth. And, you know, it's an easy mistake to make.

I actually saw a quote from James Vowse where they explained the incident as well. and basically Albin had Russell half a second behind him, so he didn't want to slam on the brakes to slow down because of the worry of George going into the back of him because he was only four tenths behind or something. So, yeah, it's an unfortunate one for Albon, because he could have got even more points. But what a performance in the main race and the sprint

because he was fighting Hamilton in the sprint as well. Just amazing. and myself and many people and you included probably will be getting the Alex Albon apology form out at the end of the season probably because my word, what a season he is having. Absolutely. I think it's been drafted up as we speak.

The fans, no surprise, gave him a 10 out of 10. Carlos Seins started the sprint in 15th, did not finish, started the main race in 6th, finished 9th. I have gone four, a 7 out of 10 for Carlos Seints. getting points in the Williams in the main race was obviously the highlight of his weekend fighting the Ferraris it's unfortunate I guess probably gutting for him

that he didn't finish ahead of them because of the history and of course the kind of driver move that he had the sprint was really disappointing from him another a very silly error to you know hit your rear wheel going into that that chican and having that crash but the main race looked kind of good for him but it was a decent performance from him in the main race but we saw what alban did so could have been more i know he's mentioned

floor damage which i'm sure you'll get onto as well that i'm unsure about because the incident he said an incident with alban but from what i see it looks like they banged wheels so make of that what we will tell me on the fence for that one We'll love to say. He's teased me straight into my grade. Seven out of ten for Carlos signs from me as well. It is a weekend that could have been for Carlos. Yeah, another mistake in the wet in the sprint,

which obviously ultimately caused him to not finish. And then in the main race, I'm a little bit confused because obviously, you know, when you're doing these grades, you try and take into account all the factors and the Albon signs contact was just a product of Norris going off and then rejoining. But it very much looks like a right rear Albon to a front left Carlos Sines. And yet, you know, I'm reading that he picked up serious damage from that and floor damage.

And I don't know the absolute inner workings and infrastructure of a Formula One car and how you can pick up floor damage. But I didn't feel like that would be the case. But hey-ho, it's still unlucky for Carlos if, you know, if he was running with an ailing car. and then the lunge at the end I've watched that so many times and I think it's more leaning towards a bit of a look what you took from me

and of lunch into the hairpin to try and get Hamilton on the last lap and could see the headlines didn't quite work out but still I think Williams can be generally happy and Carlos did show some good pace

this weekend so well done to him a seven is from the fans as well Isaac Hadjar started the sprint in finished 10th, started the main race, 11th, finished 11th. It's going to be a six out of 10 for Hajjar this weekend. It's a shame for him that he's sort of finished so close to both points in the sprint and also the main race.

He finished 14th on track in the sprint and ended up 10th after everything that went on. And then in the main race, he made a few clumsy errors. He said it himself in the post-race interview. He was kind of kicking himself that he might well have been able to get Sonoda at the end, didn't manage it. It's an okay weekend, but I think RB just generally have fallen off a little bit. We've had the Williams resurgence happening.

But yeah, it's not a disaster of a weekend for Hadjar, but no points, so I've gone for a six. I've also gone for a six for Hadjar, kind of an anonymous weekend, really. You think in particularly a sprint where it felt like half the field got penalties at the end and dropped out, and you also look at the order of the sprint and people like stroll up in P5,

you think that's a chance to capitalize for these midfield runners. But alas, he didn't. And his qualifying has still been good, but not a particularly special weekend from him apart from some good qualifying. Liam Lawson. No, the fans gave him a six.

The fans gave Isaac Arara six, just so you're aware. Liam Lawson, start the sprint in 14th, finish 13th, start the main race in 15th, did not finish. I've gone for a three, out of 10, William Lawson. Again, incidents. Let's start with the main race. Yes, it's a racing incident. It's a difficult tight turn one, but you know, you have your part to play in it, but is a bit

unfortunate. But it's still keep your nose clean after what happened the previous day. And his move on Alonso in the sprint was absolutely ridiculous. so unnecessary. It was so unnecessary and the frustrating thing for him as well is he was having a brilliant race. He actually was making his way through the pack, had an amazing start,

and would have got points, but of course the deserving penalty dropped him down. So yeah, another one to forget for Liam Lawson. I've also gone for a three out of ten for Lawson. It's not and still isn't the, you know, the comeback story that we thought was definitely possible with Lawson after the trials and tribulations of his very short career in the main team.

He's up against Hadjar, who once again has outperformed him the whole weekend in terms of pace, both in qualifying and obviously the positions where they finished as well. Yeah, getting involved, I'm not, I don't think there's much to blame. You know, he's pinched the apex slightly Lawson. what's going deep into term one and and Duans put his nose in. It's an unfortunate incident for that. But generally speaking, you know, the Alonzo one is much worse. It's where I'm really downgrading him.

Of course, he's fighting for points there and I get it. But it's a clumsy error. It's putting a nose where it really shouldn't be. But it's just not working out for Lawson at the moment. But I still hold some kind of hope for him that he can pick it back up because we know that he's got some pace to. to show. But yeah, it is going to be a three.

The fans gave him a three as well. Ollie Bearman started the sprint in 19th, finished 14th, started the main race in 19th, did not finish. It's going to be a four out of ten for Ollie Bearman. It's not the three because he didn't crash or anything like that. So it's just been a poor weekend for Ollie, both qualifying in both of the,

the sessions. And I'm just sat there going, please, please, Ollie, I know you've got speed, but there's clearly mistakes in there as well.

There's clearly the inability to hook up consistent fast laps at the moment. But he was running pretty well in the race until he lost drive, but he hadn't pit at the time in which he DNFed. So he was slightly out of position to where he would have been, had he, well,

once he'd pit. So it's still disappointing. The qualies compared to his teammate, not particularly there so I've gone for a four I've gone this is the most difficult driver I think for me to rate I'm going to give him

a six out of ten for Ollie Behrman and the reason for that yeah his his qualifying really poor in both races the reason I'm giving him a six though is because he would have

basically got a point in the sprint without a five second unsafe release that wasn't of course his fault. So had he not had an unsafe release, he gets a point and despite the poor qualifying, a point for Hass is a decent weekend because they never score a point.

And also, it's a six, it's not like a, I'm giving him like a seven or an eight. So yeah, that's why I've gone for a six for Bearman, but he has to sort of qualifying out because it was very poor indeed. interesting. Okay, all right. Well, let's know how you sit on that one. We don't usually have a two-point discrepancy between me and Tommy. I know, it's the end of the world, I'm sure. Because where did he finish on track in the sprints? He would have gained four.

So he gained the position from Max. End the position from Max. Okay. All right. All right. Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, and he would have overtaken. If you hadn't have had the unsafe release, he would have moved up two more places, actually. So he would have, get because of Albon and, uh, long. awesome so he would have finished sixth. Mm. But then he got the penalty, sad times. The fans gave Olly Beerman a four as well. Esteban Ockon, started the sprint in 12th, finish 12th, started the main race in ninth, finish 12th.

I've gone for an eight out of 10 for Esteban, knock on. Ooh. Oh, tasty. Star of Quali in, you know, P9 in a house when your teammate is qualifying last. is absolutely superb and the sprint race didn't go his way, qualified well again.

In the main race, he was fighting Hamilton at the start, of course, had that lovely little battle with him and of course Hamilton finished well into the points, but Ocon pitted before all the virtual safety car

chaos, which basically all the people ahead of him got that kind of free pit stop, which is why he plummeted down the order into P12, and I think he would have got a point. So I'm grading him highly because of that great qualifying and the fact that I think he deserved points as well. But I'm sure I will get roast in the comments because I'm sure everyone's given him a five because he is a midfield driver in a midfield car and a street 12. but I think he's excelled massively in that.

It's a hard thing to grade because Hasse have moments of brilliance this year and moments of being 20th in qualifying. So it's really quite hard to judge where they sit at the moment. And that's probably why I went for a slightly harsher grade for Berman was because I expect more from him just generally speaking. For Ocon, I've gone for a 7 out of 10. I think Hasse were on the back foot slightly this weekend. but Ocon did a brilliant job, as you say.

Star and qualifying loves a 12th finish, both the Sprint Quali Sprint finish and main race finish was 12th. But yeah, no points. But still, I think it was definitely something to be proud of for O'Con. It was a better weekend for him, especially in qualifying where we've seen blips from him as well. So yeah, so I've gone for a seven because I feel as though it deserves rewarding that he's been in the mix the whole weekend and kept his nose clean.

pretty much the whole weekend. The fans gave him a five, not happy at all. Jack Dewan, started the sprint in 17th, finished 16th, started the main race in 14th, did not finish. I have gone for a three out of 10 for Jack Dewan. It is tough to watch, and as of recording right now, it seems like that may well have been his last race for Alpine, due to the rumours of Colopinto coming into the,

this seat for Imala. It's sad to see. I think that I still maintain the fact that I know he's fighting into term one, but to DNF, putting your nose in a place that I just think it just doesn't deserve to be there personally. I'm watching the replay right now. I'm going to watch it live as we do it. And I know he's eager to have a great, like just a great finish in the Alpine.

He's got stuck in. Lawson is obviously in a very similar position where he's feeling a little bit not desperate, but very eager to do something in that V-carb and they've come together that it is unlucky, but at the same time you've just got to settle yourself into the race.

You can't be DNFing like that and that's why I've graded him harshly because apart from that, it's just been a tricky weekend overall for doing with Gassley obviously scoring a point in the sprint, for example. So yeah, it's a three out of ten. I've gone for A3 out of 10 for doing as well. Just a complete disaster of a weekend, of course.

The incident in the sprint where he kind of got, felt like he got screwed over with the mechanic and being able to turn out the pit lane, which meant he was at the back, but then made no progress in the sprint when there were, of course, opportunities there to do something and so many people kind of getting penalties and things. and then he made that, had that brilliant qualifying where, you know, he, he outqualified Gasly and we thought, okay, doing this is,

you've had it in you the whole time, and then crashes literally at turn one and very much looking like it could be, you know, the race that has potentially ended his Alpine career now as well with Colopinto rumours flying around again even more. So yeah, what a weekend to forget for doing? Yeah, it's all well and good being a rookie, but he has been involved in a lot of incidents already,

whether that's picking up penalties or crashing. So it's not been a good rookie season anyway, but of course, you know, he's got a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders. It's no surprise. The fans gave him a three as well. Pierre Gazley, start this sprint in 13th, finished 8th, start the main race from the pit lane, finished 13th. I've gone for a six out of 10 for Pierre Gazley.

of course got a fortunate point in the in the sprint but he was there to make it happen of course when others were having incidents and things and yeah pretty anonymous really started from the pit lane and finish 13th which I guess what more can they hope for when all the top teams are finishing the race and stuff so yeah just a very anonymous weekend from Gasly and yeah somehow spawned into the points in the sprint after all that chaos. I've also gone for a six out of ten for Gasley. Probably worth mentioning actually. He did get out qualified by Dewan for the main race.

Of course, being knocked out in Q1. But alas, the rest of Dewan's weekend was not great. Ghazley, on the other hand, of course, as you say, spawned into the points for the sprint after, again, it was just a case of keeping your nose clean in that sprint. And I think that as much as, you know, you can say, are they were going to score points and then didn't. The drivers that just kept a level head in those conditions,

it was a very difficult race to do that. So Gassley was rewarded for that and got a point. And then he started starting from the pit lane in a race where your car's not particularly working, pretty much unless there's a miracle safety car, secures you zero points. So I've gone for a six because, yeah, scoring a point. I think he felt pretty happy with that. Considering the fans gave him a five.

Lance Stroll started the sprint in 16th, finished fifth, started the main race in 18th, finished 16th. I've gone for a 7 out of 10 for Lance stroll, mainly down to the sprint. I'm sorry,

but scoring any points in that, Aster Martin is a very, very good job. The main race itself, I mean, just anonymous, nowhere near anyone, quite depressing, really, probably. I think he got beaten by his teammate

despite Alonzo having a lovely little spin at one point as well, if I recall. So, yeah, it's a seven still because it's a big nod to the sprint where he took full advantage. I've also gone for a seven out of ten for Lance Roll. Yeah, it has to be because of the points that he's bagged, of course, he got very fortunate with the fact that he had a lot of retirements, but, sorry, a lot of penalties at the end, but took the gamble, a bit like Hamilton did to quite early to put on the dries and made his way through the field. And yeah, again, in a crazy race, he's been the one to bag a load of points. The main race, absolutely useless, but you have to grade him based on those points that he's

taken home in the sprint. So it's a seven out of ten at four stroll. Okay. I mean, I wouldn't say fortunate, if he literally did finish sixth on the road. So I think saying that he was fortunate for the penalties, I think it's a little bit unfair. No, no, I mean, fortunate. Like, he obviously qualified badly and then, yeah, he made it through the pack. And I meant fortunate in terms of like the position he ended up in. Hey, you make your own luck and he did an aggressive strategy like Hamilton. Yeah, he's definitely.

He did a seven for it. Did a good job. The fans gave him a six. Fernando Alonzo started the sprint in 10th, did not finish. Started the main race in 17th, finished 15th. Oh dear. I've gone for a six out of 10 for Fernando Alonzo. He would have got points in the sprint without being taken up by Lawson.

But as we know, in 2025, Fernando Alonzo is not allowed a point whether Adrian Nui has told him, just don't score any points. Get that winter all time. Come on. Next year. Think about next year. but no got smashed into from Lawson qualified so good in the sprint as well and was actually hanging on the back of of Albin and Hamilton at the start so a normal race would have scored points

and it would have been a great result but instead gets taken out and then unfortunately couldn't couldn't do the same heroics that he did in qualifying for the sprint in the main race and Aston just looked absolutely useless spun on his own as well very un-Fernando Alonto like, so it's a six. I've gone for a five out of ten for Fernando Alonzo. I am not convinced he would have scored points. It was four laps to go in the sprint and he had Lawson-Berman and Sonoda behind him. He was struggling out there massively, hence obviously the Lawson move,

which ended sadly for him being punted in the wall. But yeah, Alonzo, a poor, like a reasonably poor weekend. Obviously, I've gone for a five because it's a bit of a nod to the fact that he was fighting for the points in the sprint. but I think it would have been a pointless weekend in the sense of championship points. And Lance Stroll just cooked him. No, he didn't. So he's fighting in the points, but it wouldn't have been points. What do you mean?

So he was running an eighth, but it was an Alonzo train with Lawson-Berman and Sonoda all behind him within a second, two seconds. I don't think he would have held on even despite the Lawson punt because he was clearly struggling out there massively. Sorry, I'm talking about points before the chaos is what I meant, and everyone's switching tires. Oh, I see. So you're,

so you're vibing prior to that. Fair enough. And the context of, which probably added as well, that he was basically begging Aston Martin to pit him and he left him out. Even though Stroll was absolutely

flying on the dry tires, he was begging to kind of come in the pits and I guess they wanted to split the strategy. Split the strategy because Lance Stroll's dad owns the team, maybe. But yes, still not the greatest weekend. We've seen a mistake,

obviously there with Alonzo spinning on his own, which is very unheard of from him. So it's a five and the fans gave him a five as well. Kimmy Antonelli. God, this is a difficult grade and I would say this one is probably the most difficult. Started the sprint in first finish seventh, started the main race in the third, finish sixth. Gone for an eight out of ten for Kimmy Antonelli. I feel as though this perfectly reflects the wonderful qualifyings that he did for both the sprint and the main race,

but did not deliver to the extent perhaps that we were hoping in both of them as well. The sprint, of course, that was unlucky and he was maybe fighting for fourth, I believe, until everything kicked off in the pit lane with Max Verstappen being released straight into him. And obviously that's curtains then for him. And of course, then gains a few positions after the penalties, which means he scored a couple of points. And then in the main race, he's up to second at the start. but then sadly just didn't really have the pace.

I feel like he was quite nervous at the beginning. It felt a little bit erratic. He settled down, of course. But I didn't expect to be saying that he would be beaten by George Russell, especially with how on the back foot Russell looked. Of course, Russell gained a little bit from the VSC. But still, eight out of ten, because I cannot ignore those qualifying performances from a rookie.

and overall huge promise for him for future Grand Prix and seasons. I've gone for a 9 out of 10 for Kimmy Antonelli. I think this is the race that has kind of put him on the map. I don't think the results reflect how great he was this weekend. And I think it's incredibly impressive in race six that he just looked quicker than George Russell all weekend. Of course, there was the mistake at the start of the sprint. which, you know, I think we saw the kind of, after the brilliant poll in the sprint,

we were kind of reminded that he was a rookie of the way he kind of handled turn one, lost a few positions, and he was going, you know, probably going to finish fourth before the unfortunate incident with Stappen, where he was literally going into his pit box, so then he couldn't even peer and had to get all the way around again. So we got absolutely shafted there. And then in the main race, he looked, you know, he did another amazing qualifying to almost get pole position. And then as we got to, you know, the pit stops, he'd pitted and then pretty much the virtual safety car came out straight after.

He was running fourth at the time. So I think it was a really impressive weekend and it's a shame he had nothing to show for it. The fans gave Kimmy Antonelli an eight out of ten. George Russell, start the sprint in fifth, finish fourth, start the main race in fifth, finished third. I've gone for an eight out of ten for George Russell this weekend, slower than Antenelli all weekend, which is a surprise from George, but again he's picked up some great results, of course. Bit of good fortune, but you do make your own luck sometimes in Formula One,

and he went for something different in the main race, got the leapfrog on Max, thanks to the lovely timed VSC, which helped him a lot. But again, he's just constantly popping it up in the top five all the time. But the reason it's an eight is because, yeah, he was the slur of the Mercedes this weekend, but got a bit more luck, but still a good performance from George. I've gone for an eight out of ten for George. Mainly, yeah, qualifyings. He was behind Kimmy Antonelli, which was a sure.

shock. But in the main race is Russell just doing Russell things. Of course, as we say, we say that he got slightly lucky with the VSC, but there were other drivers out there that were fortunate to be able to pit under it as well. And then after that, he was able to secure a podium, which is just George Russell in a nutshell. He just turns up and somehow just ends up on the podium. That just is George Russell's 2025 season at the moment. So yeah, he was looking good in race trim and managed to deliver a solid performance this weekend. That's why I've gone for an eight. The fans gave him an eight as well.

Yuki Sonoda started the sprint from the pit lane, finished sixth, started the main race in 10th, finished 10th. Good Lord, this sprint has really like thrown the cat amongst the pigeons, hasn't it, with some of these grades. I have gone for a six out of 10 for Yuki Sonoda. Of course, scored a point or two or three, in fact. for the sprint with everything that kicked off. And then in the main race, making it through to Q3,

but finishing 10th, it's, I don't know whether we've just kind of accepted that this is what the Red Bull second seat is now. But, you know, Max Verstappen is still out there delivering things that, I don't think even Max had a particularly strong weekend this weekend. So for Yucca to be further back, in terms of racetrime,

don't you raise your eyebrows like that, bro? a long way behind. But yeah, I think Uki once again, it's just, it's difficult to know where he is at the moment. Of course, he's fighting Hajjar at the end. It's going to be a six. I'm just locking it in. I've gone for a five for Yuki Saneda.

I think it was a poor weekend from him, of course. Failed to qualify well in the sprint. Of course, he got, he had the issue, didn't he, where he didn't make the line. But it was not a great weekend from him to, when you had kind of all the chaos, yeah, he managed to get a point in the sprint. And then in the,

he is a difficult one to grade, don't get me wrong, because it's that like anomaly of the Red Bull car. And it almost kind of gives you a little bit more leeway because of everything that Lawson did and Paris before him. But 10th when Max essentially got pole position and would have been on the podium without the unlucky VSC, I don't think is good enough personally. So I've gone for a six. Sorry, five.

Sorry, I gave five. Wow, you changed it. I was reading the fan grade afterwards. The fans gave him a six. Max Verstappen started the sprint in fourth, finished 17th, and then started the main. race in first and finished fourth so I was laughing at Tommy not Max's position before everyone loses their mind Tommy what is your grade my grade is a nine out of ten for Max Stappen he basically the sprint race he was going to finish on the podium and you've got

to think that the McLaren is basically clear of the field that they were you know so comfortable this weekend that the best anyone else could have hoped for was basically finishing third based on how good the McLaren's were. So he would have done that in the sprint without the issue, which of course wasn't his fault that he got released into Antonelli. And actually, I'd argue that he pitted for soft tires a lap before the McLaren's. It would have been incredibly exciting to see actually had that race just panned out normally what he could have done because he'd have been on the softs with an end.

extra lap of kind of heating heat in the tires maybe he'd have even challenged them but sadly we didn't get to see it if my if some maybe is yeah exactly and then in the main race somehow got it into pole position and uh tried his best to hold off the McLaren's that was so clear of the field and all he could hope for was third which he would have got apart from the badly timed VSC so yeah he was very unlucky this weekend But it was another performance where I think he just did the maximum that he could have in the car and couldn't have really done much else. Why is it not a 10 then, Tommy? Well, exactly, probably because I feel like that would be slightly fanboyish and I've got to keep it for when he excels even more than what it is.

When he excels more than what he can physically possibly do. But no, I think it's a very, very strong performance still, despite everything. Okay, I'm trying to decide whether it's one grade or another. Let me lock in. I think you have, you've nudged me up. I will actually just say that an eight is an absolutely outrageous grade and shouldn't even be considered. Okay, all right.

Well, in that case, it's an 11 out of 10. Okay, yeah, nine out of 10 for Max Verstappen. Yeah, the qualifying, of course, was unbelievable. where the McLaren's slightly faltered, in my opinion, wasn't able to get everything out of that car. Max, of course, did put himself in a great position. There is, of course, the lap one debate that we've had, and I feel as though this is my time to say

that I've reflected and I've looked at the rulebook and I now appreciate and understand and accept your argument, Tommy, for the fact that he shouldn't have got a penalty. I think I'm still very conflicted as to what I want racing to be versus what the letter of the law is. The letter of the law is that that wasn't a penalty and I accept that and that's fair enough.

However, I don't like the fact that that is allowed what happened with Max and Lando, especially when you look at it from the Oscar POV. I just don't like seeing drivers just chucked off the racetrack. I'd love to see more side-by-side action where racing room's given. So that's where I... You couldn't get around the outside thing. Sorry.

He couldn't go around the outside. What'd you mean? There was no room for Lando to go around. Well, no, there wasn't any room because Max lost control of the car and I know you're nodding now. Yeah, but he lost control of the car. He's fighting his car to get traction, basically. I'm even more convinced on this now that if you replace Max Verstappen's car with any other driver, no one even considers it to be a penalty.

It's just his reputation of pushing people off, which some would argue. you, it's fair, but he's not pushed Lando off. It's he's fighting his car to gain traction. And his, and it's all his previous reputation is basically the reason why people think it's dirty driving, but it's just not. I'm sorry, you think that Max is only wrestling his car and has no idea or isn't, hasn't got a thought for Lando on his outside when he's trying to get on the power early. Well, he's trying to say, he's trying to make the corner, yeah. Of course he knows Lando is there, but it's not a penalty in a million years. No, no, I didn't say it was, and I said I accept that.

I'm just saying that the spirit of racing, I don't know if that's what I like to see as drivershaft off the track. Anyway, let's not open that can of worms again. It did ultimately matter anyway, did it because he didn't get one. No, he didn't get a penalty. And that is fair enough. I accept that, and we move on. But yeah, it's a nine out of ten for Max Verstappen.

You know, to be in the mix, fighting the McLaren's, we discussed this. didn't we, on the main podcast about, should he have fought the drivers? Should he not? Of course he's going to fight the drivers. And the defensive, lap one aside, the defensive masterclass that he showed was phenomenal.

On Piastri and then of course on Lando as well, it was awesome to watch. And I don't think many other drivers, Fernando Alonso in Hungary, it kind of makes me think of, only few drivers could have kept that car in the lead for as long as he did, or at least in those top two positions.

So yeah, it's a nine out of ten. Well done, Max. The fans, however, gave him an eight, and Tommy hates you. I do. There you go. It's an outrageous great. We love you very much. We love you all very much.

Tomy's... Apart from the people that gave Max worse than that. Okay, wow. Okay, there you go. I love all of you. I do really. I'm only testing. Right.

Tommy's, yeah, Tommy's suggesting. Right. Okay, so let's move on to Lewis Hamilton. Start the sprint in seventh, finished third. Start in the main risk in 12th. Finished eighth. Let's go. God.

I'm having to now. grade Ferrari is a midfield car, which is disgusting. It's a seven out of ten for Lewis Hamilton. There were positives to talk about for Hamilton, but they're also negatives like qualifying, being knocked out in Q2. I think the sprint was down to him in a lot of ways that other drivers that took the leap with those soft dry tires earlier on. He had to even combat Ferrari wanting to put mediums on. He's like, no, softs. So that's the kind of Hamilton thing. that we know he can do. And ultimately he got third in the sprint.

The main race, it's hard to know how much more pace he had if Ferrari had actually swapped the cars where they needed to. But it's a solid weekend. That's why I've gone for a seven, but I don't think I can go any higher. I've gone for a seven out of ten as well for Lewis Hamilton. A difficult driver to grade because on the sprint, even though Hamilton's pace is at the moment, he's struggling and he's not the driver that we're kind of used to and he's still getting used to the Ferrari.

We saw the side of Lewis Hamilton where the kind of brilliant side where he makes the decision he's forceful and I do wonder if I do think he could be a great driver for Ferrari to kind of get their arses into gear basically because he came in, he demanded that he wanted the soft tire and I don't think enough, again, it's a if-buts and maybes, but, but could he have won the race if he'd have stayed out? Because he was absolutely flying. He flew past Max, and he max had damage, but he'd have had two laps on Piastri and three on Lando had we not had the safety car on those dry tyres. and he was absolutely flying. It would have been fascinating to watch. And he deserves a huge amount of credit

for making that call and flying through the field. But unfortunately for him, his race was incredibly poor, qualifying, not good. And then the frustrations came out. He's racing Ockon and then should have maybe beaten LeClaire on the road if they'd been quicker with the kind of switch, if you like. but it wasn't. So one of those difficult sprint grades

where someone has a brilliant sprint and a not very good main race and how you weigh up, but I've gone for a seven. Exactly. The waitings is all down to you at home listening. You can grade it however you want and that's the beauty of driver ratings. The fans gave Hamilton a seven.

Charlechle, started the sprint in sixth, and didn't finish, and started the main race in eighth and finished seventh. I've gone for a five out of ten for Charler Leclair, as Matt does the eyes. It's not a great weekend from Charleclair. The main race didn't qualify particularly great, and we know he's a great qualifier, of course,

qualified better than Hamilton, but then ended up kind of with him on the track and that confusion there. And I have to downgrade him for the sprint, because I know it's absolutely treacherous conditions but he's got his part to play in there for plowing round really quickly on inters

and slamming into the wall and yeah it's not great for Charles's reputation after a brilliant a brilliant race in Saudi when we kind of lauded his drive and think you know future world champion he needs the car

unfortunately this is the kind of bad side to his game where he still not as not often but can still have these these big errors so yeah i've gone for a five for leclair wow can often have big errors i'd like you to compile five big errors in the last three years and come back to me we'll make a podcast um please don't find five and i said big not lockups right i've gone for a six out of ten for charleclair uh of course out qualified hamilton in both sessions, speared into the wall on the way to the grid,

so that, of course, is a slight downgrade. Yes, I do agree that it was treacherous out there. I think a has, wasn't it, spun as well, on the way to the grid.

It is, I don't know why Ferrari even putting intermediate tires on when it is a monsoon coming down for them to go around to the grid, but still it's on LeClaire for going too fast

and crashing into the wall. But apart from that, I think he... himself kind of said that he was utilising everything, putting good laps in, but the car's just not there. So, yeah, it's a six out of ten because he still scored some, some reasonable points in the main race. And of course, came back at Hamilton. I know that he had those three laps where Hamilton was behind him and wasn't able to utilise the mediums, but I still believe that perhaps LeCler could have mounted the charge back at Hamilton when his mediums had fallen off.

and Leclair was of course on the hard and more durable tire. But that's, again, if spots and maybes, I'm still giving him a six. And the fans gave him a six as well. Oscar Piastri, started the sprint in second, finish, second start of the main race,

and fourth finish first. It's a 10 out of 10 for Oscar Piastri without one small little VSC in the sprint. It was a clean sweep from him this weekend, despite not getting pole position in either of the qualifying sessions. And some people might think, well, that might be a nine map.

No, it's a 10 because Oscar once again, in wheel-to-wheel combat, kept a level head. Now, we have to kind of, I guess, reflect back. And I know, Tommy, you probably will as well about what we said that Piastri got through quicker than Norris. And that was a kind of a narrative that went around in social media. I think it was a feeling when we were actually watching that Piastri did get through quicker. He didn't, from a lap counter perspective. But in terms of chances, it felt like Piastri. Of course, he did have a few chances before he got through.

on Vastappen, absolutely. But they weren't massive time-loss chances, which is what when we get on to Norris will of course reflect on as well. So Piastri, and again, I do not buy the argument that people go, well, Max locked up against Oscar. No, he locked up because of course

through and forced him into a dive bomb into term one, which he couldn't do with his brakes. He was having problems with his brakes as well. And Oscar forced him into that error, and he kept a level head and took the lead. So it is a 10 out of 10 for Oscar once again. three on the bounce again he is performing at a level

that he can just do every single week and it's a scary prospect he's only going to get better he absolutely is I've gone for a nine out of ten for Oscar Piastri I can't give him a 10 from the weekend I think I can see why some people and this again comes down to how you grade it

but when McLaren are miles clear of the field this weekend I think even Andrew Stella said keep your nose clean because we are going to win this race by a mile and they did the fact that he didn't get you know pole I think his qualifying wasn't wasn't great in the the main race so there's a bit of a downgrade there we'll get on to Lando in a bit the sprint I think Oscar was struggling as well before or the pit stops, you know, he cut over the chican and it looked like Norris, you know, he was all over the back of him. And had Norris also not had the incident on lap one and gone over the runoff,

obviously that allowed Oscar to get ahead and he checked out. But it's just not, I can't say it's the perfect weekend when you compare to other weekends where McLaren, with the advantage that they have, will undoubtedly in some races, grab pole position and win the race by 30 seconds and be faultless. So that's why I've gone for a nine. Wow. Tom Bellingham, not happy with that one. Had he finished first in the sprint? Is that you giving him a 10? I don't, I don't know because I'm thinking now like you look at say like, do we have to grade them like it's Max in the Red Bull or Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes where they are, they turn up and they are going to win. And I look at, you know, sprint start second, sprint finish second, went, like I say, went off

battling Lando, qualified fourth, I guess from his side kind of fortunate that Lando went off, that he could make it on Lando there because then Lando looked kind of quicker this weekend. It's not absolute perfection, so I can't give him a 10 because it's not perfect. I understand why people give him a 10. Yeah, yeah. Obviously we have to discuss it. Sometimes I think you can have small imperfections and still get a 10 from us. I think there's more than a few imperfections this weekend from McLaren't.

Misses out on pole for the main race by a 10th and a half and then misses out on pole in the sprint by, what was it, 400ths of a second? Yeah, 400ths of a second. In a car that's miles. But not in qualifying. I don't think that's fair to say. I think, yeah, that's where I sort of nudged upon the imperfections was definitely qualifying. But I think Piastri two have delivered the victory in both of those races against a highly, highly skilled teammate like Norris.

I think he deserves a 10. But look, nine or 10, it's still a very good raid for Oscar Piastri. The fans gave him a 10. Lando Norris started the sprint in third, finished first, started the main race in second, finish second. I've gone for an eight out of ten for Lando Norris. of course he finished the sprint

in first got a fortunate safety car I do think that the sprint was maybe better than people give him credit for

I don't think it was like oh my God the safety car completely won in the race because I think had the conditions just stayed normal I think he would have overtaken Piastri on the road because he was looking much quicker and Piastri was really struggling before he pitted.

Do you reckon? Yeah, I do. Yeah, he was all over the back of him. But they were pitting. Do you mean it had to have stayed in those dry, wet, wet conditions? Yeah, had they not needed to pit for dries. I think Norris would have got him. And then, yeah, the main race,

you can't really, you know, it's not his fault in the first lap racing incident, of course. but I think the fact they had so many chances to get past Max and then the way Max held up Piastri gave Norris the advantage to you know catch up

and I think he was only a couple of seconds maybe behind him but then of course that opened up again to nine seconds and then you think that by the end of the race it was what four or five showed that I do think Norris had the pace to win this race and he's driving the best car on the grid so that's why I've gone for an eight.

Okay, dokey. I've gone for one less than his teammate. I've gone for a nine out of ten for Lando Norris. Similar sort of thinking here. And I come back to exactly what I keep saying. And some people, I love that some people will message me going, well, Matt, what do you think now? You know, you keep saying Norris is quicker than Piastri.

Like, deep root it. He is. Like, we saw that again this weekend. And also that's not, and you saying that as well is not, people think it's you kind of being like oh we need to give Lando credit but in a way it's almost like saying that no he needs to do better because he's got the pace to deliver he needs to get past

he needs to do the other bits right it's noting what he the potential he has but it's actually delivering it which is it's kind of it's a double-edged sword isn't it with it so yeah for Lando he showed as you say in the sprint he was right on the back of Oscar of course without

that VSC kicking in, I don't think he wins the sprint because of the fact that Oscar got obviously preferential treatment by leading the race. It wouldn't turn out to be preferential because the VSC came out. But yeah, Oscar would have had that sign seal delivered if we'd just had the rest of that race and not a loss and dive bomb on Alonzo. And then for the main race, yeah, his wheel to wheel was a little bit clumsy in the sense of there were moves that he tried to pull on Max. I'm not talking about lap one. That, you have to put trust in Max that he's going to give you the room and we know that that's not probably going to be the case,

especially when he doesn't have to. And you just saw time sap away. And then eventually when he got through, he was nine seconds behind. When Oscar was, and he had a great opportunity did Lando. I think maybe on the next lap of after Oscar got through where he tried to swing it around the outside at term one.

Max, of course, pinches the inside and then Lando sort of rides on that curb that then just makes him, makes the basically the plank slide along. So the one where he gave him the middle finger afterwards I think.

Yeah, yeah, I didn't actually see exactly where he gave him that. But still, he's always going to be run out of road there,

sadly. And yeah, that was, if had he got through then, this is a lot of ifs, buts and Mabies podcast, then he would have

a great opportunity to win the race. However, he didn't, got through after, you know, nine second gap. And then he showcased

he's got some, some awesome speed in the car and his race pace is great, but it'd given him far too much to do, That being said, he had a sprint win and a P2. So there is still a lot of positives to take from Lando's weekend.

And that's why I've gone for a nine. Before you move on, I just, please, Formula One gods, can we just have a battle between Norris and Fiatry? Because everything seems to just happen as soon as they actually get together on track and you think it's happening. Be like the sprint when they had to pit and stuff. you're like, oh, finally we're going to get the battle. Oh, no. It's like McLaren. They've agreed that they're going to both be number one drivers,

but they've made a deal with the weather and with every other sort of condition and factor. Max the Stappen throwing in there as well, yeah. Yeah, Zach Brown's like, yeah, I'd love to see a fight between the two of them, full well-knowing. He's got a weather system in the paddock that he can just alter everything to make sure they don't have a side-by-side wheel-to-wheel battle because that's what we almost got.

And sadly, we didn't get it. but maybe next time. The fans, Gabe Lando A-9. Right, that is it. Who is our P-1? For me, my P-1 is Alexander Albon. Yeah, what a weekend from Albon. Really solidifying his position at Williams.

And you've got on the other side of the garage, Carlos saying he's losing confidence in the team and sort of quite heavy quotes from his side of the garage. So Albon is. Yeah, it is pretty savage, considering you think, where Carlos's expectations probably coming into this season of where he's going to be fighting for. But perhaps he's feeling a bit of pressure of the fact Albon is doing really, really well. So yeah, Albon is my P1. Same for me.

It's definitely Albon easily, in fact. Yeah, he's absolutely brilliant this weekend. And another amazing performance from Albon in both races. So definitely P1. I'm the only person I gave a 10. Yeah, well done. on. I gave Piastri one as well. Did you give Piastri a 10? Let's know the comments. No, not you. You're plonker. I know that you do. Right, that is it. Thank you everybody for tuning in. Tommy,

what are your final thoughts? That one was a tasty one. I enjoyed that. We combated a few times. Yeah, I will echo the same thing that I enjoyed that one. It's nice when you can have constructive disagreements. Healthy debates. Whether I will still go, I really enjoyed that one when I see the comments. But no, joking. Joking aside, yeah, I get why people give the grades they do, and it's all how you weigh up each team and driver and their ability and also their, you know, their machinery. Especially when you have two competitive sessions as well. It's a, the sprints are a bit of a minefield, aren't they, and how you weigh them, and that's the beauty. A beauty of it.

I actually personally think it makes it more fun because it means there's a bit more, rather than we're just reading and it's like, fans gave a nine, I gave a nine, I gave a nine. I agree. We all agree. Exactly. But that'd be a boring world. It would. It would. So, of course, you know, we've shown an example of how to have a healthy debate between two friends.

I will be saying that Tommy is the scum of the earth via social media just to make sure we sort of level that out. Can't be having too much amicable relationships here. Anyway, thank you everybody for tuning in. We'll see you very soon for another podcast. Lots of love. Take care. Bye! Bye!

My chore is to send a lovely positive message because I feel like. Like a big storm's coming. So just say that you love this podcast and that Tommy is a sexy man. Thank you. P1 is a stack production and part of the Acast creator network.