P1 with Matt and Tommy - Reaction to Bahrain GP practice

Episode Date: April 11, 2025

Despite everyone moaning about a lack of grip, McLaren proved imperious in the first set of running out in Bahrain. Meanwhile, Matt's left feeling sad about his particular prospects for the season...Listen to an extended version of every Race Review podcast on our Patreon! Sign up to 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!Matt's running the London Marathon for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. Click here if you'd like to donate - thanks so much!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 B1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. We are here. I am so excited. Tommy, it's been so long since I could say it's race week. And finally we're here. First race of the season off the back of Bahrain testing. Can Ferrari do it this year? I can't wait.

In your dreams. They've already won a race, actually, technically. That's true. Or they got disqualified straight after. Yeah, okay, thanks. Yeah, thanks. Of course, it is the fourth round of the season. I do jest, but at the same time, these are coping measures as a Ferrari fan.

Can't wait for the intro for the podcast. It's like the last race of the season. You're still saying that. I think the joke works for this one because we have had preseason testing here and are used to going straight into Barrow. It is unusual, isn't it? That it's been, when did we do testing a month ago? Over a month ago?

Yeah. Which is mad. and normally it's literally like a week. Exactly. So we're here to recap Friday practice. And well, look, quite interesting, actually, in the sense of we had a lot of new faces out there. So FP1, of course, is usually an unrepresentative session anyway.

But with Bahrain FP1, it's literally like an oven out there. I think nearly 50 degree track temperatures. And they're not the same as what we'll see for qualifying in the race, because of course the sun will have set and it's much cooler temperatures. so roll out the rookies. Very true, but do you think it's absolutely crazy to think back on now, even though it's a very long time ago, that they ever raced in those conditions?

Because, of course, it feels like Bahrain has always been a night race now because it's been for so long. When did it become a night race? 2014. The jewel in the desert, as they called it, back when Hamilton and Rosberg went about four seconds that quicker because they were racing each other on that safety car restart.

But yeah, it was that was kind of like a special thing for, and now, and now we're just kind of so used to it. But it's weird to think back in the kind of, well, I remember the famous like Alonzo and Schumacher battle they had in Bahrain and that was about 50 degree heat that they were actually racing in. But now, of course, they don't really, well, they don't race in it. So they just kind of sack off the session completely pretty much by putting in the rookies. Yeah, and as well with the high temperatures, of course, the tyres start to scream out, and it just made me think about before we had the night race. And 2012 was obviously the amazing year that we had all those different winners. Wasn't that also when we had some pretty degrading tires at that stage as well?

So how on earth did they even survive back there? It's very true. But it's funny you mention about the grip. And one of the takeaways from FP1 was just them cutting to every single driver's radio going, this is terrible. I've got no grip. This is awful. Just constant. Even a McLaren. Exactly. So you didn't really probably want those rookies going out on a track that was just a drift session for a lot of the drivers. But it made for some interesting mistakes and action out there. A question for people on Patreon member, Lu Mixion. Who was your rookie of the day? Now, the fastest rookie of the day was Luke Browning up in 13th in the Williams. I say up. Alex Alpon's up in fourth. But he is the fastest rookie. So he's done a pretty decent job. what I can say as well is his reactions were put to the test quite aggressively, trying to not mount Alex Albon's car in the double right-hander before the end of the lap.

So good job for Browning, for missing. That one, I think Albon got a reprimand or something for that. Williams got fined? Yeah, or they got fined as well, yeah. For an accident that didn't happen, which should it be a fine? I don't know. I guess you can argue that they should have been made them more aware you know, the reason is that they kind of looked at the data, the telemetry, the team radio, all that kind of stuff.

And the driver said he had no warning that it was going to happen. So it's a mistake on Williams. And of course, we have to say that, I think I said it last week, that Carlos Sites, when he blocked Lewis Hamilton, and you actually listen to his radio, there was no radio communication saying you need to, you know, there's a car coming up. And we know how important it is. We've seen so many radios now. If you find some team radio online or you have access to it, you can hear in qualifying laps that as soon as they finish their qualifying lap or fast lap, you hear the team members going,

this car's coming up. He's a second behind you, he's three-tenth or whatever, like constant, just constant updates and everything. It's so important now. We saw it in a session, didn't we, where the radio went down. And it was absolute carnage and completely dangerous. to be honest. So it is so important and they chose to to find them. But can you imagine if, you know, after everything that happened to Williams last year, if their cars had basically

smashed into each other during a practice session, that would have been an absolute nightmare. Yeah, it was, it was tough to watch a narrow call for sure. What I find the most interesting about this is that signs going for a poo was actually more of a fine in Suzuki than this particular near plane crash of an accident on track. Of course, it was 10,000 euros for signs missing the national anthem by five seconds as well that he clarified in the run-up to the weekend, even though he had said prior to that he was going to be late, and he missed it by five seconds, and that's what happened. And then Williams were like, oh, I'm going to get another five. What is, you know, being on a more serious topic, the fact that they've had back-to-back

problems with their team radio and alerting their drivers, they need to figure that out, because Williams quite possibly, in my mind, are the fifth fastest car right now. So they need to sort that out or at least fighting R.B. potentially for that spot. They need to be on it in every department now because this is where perhaps mistakes that we've not seen in the past with Williams that they have been making don't get the same spotlight as when they're running in 9th or 10th and things like that. So they need to tighten that up, don't they? They certainly do. Yeah, the Carlos Sites thing that we joked about last time.

He actually in the press conference as well swore about it and then said, oh, am I going to get fined again? And as of recording, he hasn't been fined yet. Which I find bizarre because, I mean, he even said before swearing, I'm probably going to get fined for this, which I don't think is the right way around to do it if you're going to get away with it. I know. I wonder, I wonder what's going to happen with that now because if he doesn't get fined, have they backtracked? there's there's all sorts of problems going on in the f aaa the rally drivers of all kind of they were pretty much doing a sponsored silence um in one of the one of the races where they went uh talking to anyone i did a sponsored silence once horrible absolutely right

but yeah they they didn't talk to anyone to kind of protest that they were getting fine for swearing as well um and it's all just a bit of a mess really but back onto the topic of the of the rookies, yeah. A big, a very, very close moment that thankfully all the, all the rookies kind of got away with, without any problems. I think the actual, the actual rookie of the day is Drogovic because he was within a tenth of large stroll. Again, he's done that, he's done that a few times. You have to compare teammate to teammate really. So it's a drugavs did a decent job in a car that is certainly struggling, that Aston Martin. Now, before we dive into free practice too, I think it's also worth mentioning that there was a

massive meeting that was held with the FIA and all the big stakeholders and power manufacturers and power unit manufacturers, sorry, to discuss the future of Formula One. So this is how quickly, you know, we're having the new regs next year. And they're like, right, how are we changing again? And I did find it quite funny how after the meeting, you know, they go to the media, they're all asked the same thing. So what was said? How did it go?

And it feels like they're reading from a script because the first bit is, I was incredibly productive, very sort of, I don't know, they tried to make it seem so nicey, nicy. I can just imagine it's an all-out brawl in there when I'm like, no, I don't want this, I want that, and no, I want this and I want that, because how on earth are they all going to come to an agreement? I don't know, but they are discussing sort of 20, 30 onwards as to what Formula One is going to look like. And crazy that they're kind of going backwards after they're finally getting, and whether, you know, don't get me wrong, On paper, V10 engines sounds great, and it definitely sounds like the FAA president trying to win a few fans over by kind of suggesting it.

But they're just getting loads of manufacturers into the sport, you know, like Audi and Cadillac based on these new regs, and then kind of turning back on it and going, well, actually, we might do V10s, which is just an absolutely ludicrous thing to suggest, really. Well, yeah, because car manufacturers, they want to have some sort of tie into their technology that they're developing. put it into their road cars and use that as their first line of, oh, what did you know? This car's got a 90% same technology as a Formula One car, all this sort of stuff. They love that. So we'll see.

Perhaps we'll all be driving V10 sustainable fuel cars in 2030. Maybe that's the way forward. Imagine you're driving your little, like, hatchback with a V10 in the back, just screaming like you can't do yourself think as you're driving around to the shops. Right, let's get into free practice two then. I didn't even mention who went fastest in free practice one. It was Lando Norris by two-tenths. Congratulations. Pierre Gassley looking very good.

But free practice two, it was again a McLaren fastest. But from another McLaren, Oscar Piastri, ahead of Lando Norris. And then there was a small business day between them and the rest of the field. George Russell half a second off the fastest time, Oscar Piastri. Question, P-1, Patreon member, Old Father Ted. Will McLaren dominance bore fans? It's the template, isn't it? Roll it out.

Insert team that's fastest here. Will they bore fans? I'm quite, look, I'm very good at Copium, for sure. You know that as a Ferrari fan, but also just generally as a Formula One fan and the excitement that this season can bring. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris

are very closely matched right now. So even with the fastest car, it's probably one of the closest driver pairings I can remember in recent times having the fastest car and both of them not having a world championship. That in itself, I think that storyline is going to develop in a way that we're not all ready for. They all get on very nicely both of them. But how many moments are we going to see between now and the end of the season where these two are so closely matched? They're fighting out on track.

Yeah, they might be 10 seconds clear. So that is a kind of scenario in my head that can unfit. no matter what, of course I want to see other drivers, other teams, Jesus Christ, Ferrari, get involved in the fight. But right now, at least around Bahrain, despite what Landon Norris said, that they'd struggle, they'd struggle to battle off Red Bull, I think it was, or there's going to be more slower corners, they're going to struggle more. Despite all of that, they look rapid. They do look incredibly quick. And it's very easy to be. It's very easy to be kind of pessimistic about the whole thing.

We like to do it as Formula One fans and go, oh, particularly as we kind of went into this season and it felt like we were almost promised a seven driver battle for the championship. And it's very much not happening. But I think the positive from that is that... Not having. I've had four different races.

Well, this is the thing. And we're still complaining about it. And I think it's actually quite ridiculous because you go into the, you know, this is maybe a bit of a backhanded compliment to McLaren, but they've built the best car, but as we've seen in the last race, they're not necessarily the best team when it comes to strategies and things. They've been prone to mistakes. They were at the end of last year. They should have won the Drivers' Championship last year. They only just won the constructors.

So the fact that they've got a dominant car, if you're a neutral, it's much better for it to be in the hands of McLaren than it is Max Lestappen because we saw what happened when Max had a dominant car. He won pretty much every single race. And then equally even further than that is something you've already mentioned that just because they've got the best car and they're going to, and say they do completely dominate the rest of the season, it is like a Max championship. They do have two number ones. And that is something we, I think what made it so frustrating for neutrals when Max was winning was he didn't have a competitive teammate. But if we get a Titanic battle between Piastria and Norris, I'm not going to be

complaining that we kind of don't have a championship battle because yes it would be a bit of a shame that it's only one manufacturer but it would still be epic to watch because they're so close they've raced wheel to wheel before and it would be absolutely fascinating I want as many people in of course as the championship fight and I very much hope max is there but if he's not it's certainly not going to be a bad thing to watch a norris and piastri title fight and they look immense this weekend they certainly do next question Eden Jones 1-2-3

is Fernando that much of a goat that he doesn't need a steering wheel now he had some problem Sydney with the steering wheel where it was turned off and then because the FIA were investigating weren't they as to what was really going on because he sort of

he took the wheel off as he was driving which is just the most only Alonzo could do like would do that basically That's like something that if you're in your sim rig and you're like, oh, it's not really working right now, just unclip it back on. I'm not sure it quite works to say when you're in a Formula One car out on track. I saw someone do that actually in a, I think it was like F4. There's a video, it would be out there somewhere like F4 or F3 or something where their steering wheel broke and they were going down the hangar straight, took it off and put it back in, which is quite an insane thing to do.

and it worked but Fernando in a practice session yeah he kind of went off but it is funny that other drivers probably were just gone to the pits and Alonzo's just kind of like nah gone why not fix it myself I'll fix it fine I'll do it myself that's basically what he did

that's him his whole career really yeah pretty much next question P1 Patreon member Katie are the Red Bulls struggling or do you think they will bring it back it's not being the two practice session Well, I say, wait, it's two actually, Snowda was in FP1 as well.

The two practice sessions that I thought Yuki was going to deliver straight out the blocks. I'm not ringing alarms just yet. However, there is a voice in the back of my head that goes, oh no, oh my lord, I think my predictions are finished, just full stop this year. Because, obviously, Yuki down in 18th in free practice two,

one and a half seconds off. Max was eight tenths off. So it's a seven-tenth gap, but if Red Bull are, we've seen it so many times, right? If the Red Bull isn't working and even Max can't get a hold of it, that second driver is then in a world of pain where they are all the way down in 18th and free practice too. Of course, we'll wait for qualifying to see exactly where Yuki stacks up.

But yeah, it's something that Red Bull around here, it's a very different track. The track's incredibly abrasive. It's never been resurfaced in the 20-odd years that it's been on the Formula One calendar. And it is a completely different set of characteristics to the first three races where Max was able to thrust that car into some kind of contention.

And I'm not surprised to see Red Bull a little bit off. Yeah, they're definitely struggling behind R.B. again, which we've seen in practice a few times, of course, happened in Suzuki and they turned it round. Do you think they'll bring it back? They can bring it back because we've seen it happen. literally in Suzuki when they looked on the back foot. Qatar also springs to mind last year when

the Bahana has in the sprint and then Prasapan ended up winning the race. So they can do it, but I think it's going to be incredibly difficult. I don't think Max is going to be eight-tenths off pole and finishing the race in seventh, but I equally don't think he's going to probably be challenging for the victory this time based on what we've seen from McLaren.

But if anyone's going to do it, Max can and will, because he's done it before. Are you regretting George Russell P1 at this stage? I'm regretting going for my McLaren half a second clear in the last race of this one. Oh yeah. Which is basically just trolling me, I think, if that happens this race. If it happens, of course. We have to wait until tomorrow for qualifying.

Next question. P1 Patreon member Georgina. Is Ferrari finally catching up? That is not the question. that I would have been asking. Of course, Charles did put in a lap towards the end. I put him half a second away.

Hamilton, a second back in eighth. I just, I just, I keep, I keep just sitting there watching Ferrari having negative thoughts. I'm just like, I'll give you a little bit of insight into

a WhatsApp chat. You message me, Ferrari 1.2 off. And then you said, and then later on, I think they improve slightly. you went 1.1, goodbye sweet world. Yeah, so that's me and Tommy chatting through free practice.

And yeah, just, you know, I mean, Ferrari catching up being half a second off is, it's not where you want to be, right? And that's just Leclair. Hamilton's obviously a second off. They've got a new floor. Got a new floor, but no further hope. And as well, when child comes into the weekend and says, look, I'm optimistic because I feel like I can get the most out of the car, but not so optimistic.

mystic about the fact my car's not there. You just go, oh, okay. Okay, fine. So what are we waiting for? Are we going for the Monaco win again? Because that's fine. I'll take that. That's definitely a tick in the box.

Because immediately, we're the fourth round of the season. I'm going, can we just get a couple? Can we just, can we sneak a couple? Get a win. Yeah, and this is the problem, you know, this, I'll save more of a rant for maybe later in the season when we know more because it maybe seems a bit out of place for a practice session. But Ferrari went into the season as one of the favorites, one of, I think, joint favorite to win the Constructors Championship. And a lot of people were predicting LaClair

and Hamilton could win the drivers. And based on the form at the end of last year, LeCleur was, you know, he was doing very good. And I think you look at the points from the last eight races. I think Leclair was level with Lando, if not got more points than him. So there was reason to be optimistic going into the season, but already it just feels like they're just not anywhere, and they're not going to be anywhere. And to say, are they finally catching up for being half a second off in fourth is not where Ferrari fans would have wanted them to be this early in the season.

No, but look, it can all change tomorrow. It's not going to change tomorrow. It's just not, okay? Ferrari are not going to be top three. But if they are, then I will be a very happy smiley boy. We will be live on YouTube and Twitch as always. And if you haven't watched us along before, please do. It's a lot of fun.

Other things to mention, I think Mercedes looked reasonable. Antonelli had a pretty good free practice too. Lap only a couple of tents off of George. Olly Bearman, once again, doing a decent job at Hasse and Ocon's struggles maybe just not able to unlock the potential in that car over one lap, still seeming that way after Friday. And I love how Holkenberg ended up 20th in that session and that he were won too, I think, because they were the first to do their soft laps.

And I thought, this is it. This is the green dustbin. Salbera back. They found it. Because this is where Joe scored points, wasn't it, in Bahrain? It was. His first race of his career. Yeah, it was.

And another thing to mention is doing, again, looking quick compared to, to Ghazly. I know it's only practice, but something we mentioned in the previous and kind of his disappointing start to the season that he has had the pace. And I think if he'd have just finished the races and not had these crashes and just been there, what the pace is compared to Ghazley, I think we'd all be saying he's proved a lot of people wrong. So Cope has a better race this time. And finally, Carlos Sines 800s ahead of Alex Albon and FP2. So the best of the rest shout is on. So we'll see how that goes. We'll ignore that. Haddolls up in sixth.

Again, on mediums as well. Yeah, on mediums. I forgot that part. That is just ridiculous. That man is cooking right now. Okay, that is it. We'll wrap it up there. And as I say, we'll be live on Twitch and YouTube.

Please do, if you can spare any money, donate to the Great Ormond Street Hospital charity. There'll be a link in the top of the description where I'm running the London Marathon. I did my longest run a few days ago, 34K. It's 42K, the actual. marathon and I'm now trying to taper as they call it and get ready for the last few days of running a little bit before big race day on the 27th of April so good fun we'll see you very soon Tommy did I do your final thoughts I can't remember no you didn't my final thoughts are I won't see

you tomorrow because I'm not here but I will see you on Sunday yeah you're having a day off in the middle of the weekend ridiculous okay I'll see you soon that's love bye Alex Jake's is coming on the pod though Bye. Bye. P1 is a Stack production and part of the ACAST creative network.