P1 with Matt and Tommy - Reaction to British GP sprint race

Episode Date: July 4, 2026

Some exciting overtaking - but how artificial is it? That's the question we're facing after the Silverstone sprint exposed some limitations with these regulations... We'll be back with main quali later!We'll be on the Silverstone main stage on Sunday at 10:40am - we'd love to see you there and we'll do a meet & greet after the show too.Our brand new live show 'Super Podding' is coming to the UK and Amsterdam this autumn! Get your tickets here: http:/tix.to/p1liveSign up to our Patreon for just $5 a month! You'll get access to every P1 episode ad-free, extended versions of every 2026 race review (INCLUDING THIS ONE), early access to tickets & merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with us and other F1 fans! Click here to sign up now: http://patreon.com/mattp1tommyFollow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTokP1 with Matt and Tommy is the world's biggest F1 podcast. Subscribe for new podcasts around every single race throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season! 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, thanks to YouTube, in an amazing little setup after the sprint. You'll see this a bit later on as well after the main qualifying too. But we're here, Tommy, to reflect on what we've seen today, an unbelievable view we have as well. Oh my word, yes. The Wellington Strait we are basically at the end of. And then, of course, you have the sequence of corners where they're constantly battling. Luffy.

I always forget the names of these ones here. Luffy, Woodcartes. Yeah. Yeah, all that. Unbelievable. So thank you to YouTube for having us here. But Tommy, first thoughts.

Hey, feeling. What's your emotions after that sprint? My emotions were to be here as unbelievable. The view we had was incredible. We saw an insane moment where we felt like we were literally above George Russell and Max

when they had that really close moment. I hope it was shown, by the way. I hope it was shown. We talked about things that maybe you guys might not have seen because there was a lot of things. We're on a balcony and we're kind of like looking down at the kind of breaking zone after the Wellington Strait.

And from being that close and seeing it with your own eyes, it must have been millimetres. And it's that kind of thing where when you're at a track, you can really appreciate more of how insane it is that these guys race this closely and get that close to each other. And it must have been so close to George losing his front wing. That was madness.

Yeah, because Max sort of came across and I genuinely winced. I stepped back. I thought, oh, my, something's going to go flying here. Catch it. Yeah, yeah, they don't take that. on him. But yes, apart from that, like overall feelings. Overall feelings are that I thought I was watching the start of the season again with a certain B word. B word. Battery. Ah, okay. I'm going to call

it super clipping or yo-yoing. B. I thought it would have been why. Yes, let's get into some questions, because I know a lot of you are feeling very passionate about this. P1Patry member Zingy 13. Was the yo-yoing too much, even though it did give us exciting racing? Should we expect to see more of it again for the main race. Now Silverstone, as we came into this weekend, we knew that it was going to be a battery-starved circuit. There's not a lot of places for the battery to recharge, a lot of places that they would love to deploy.

And I, look, there were a lot of moves, a lot of overtakes. Those moves. A slum duck. Yeah, well, no, but we were talking about side-by-side racing, which is the only time that I'm happy with potential yo-yo racing, is when they fight into the corner. But the problem that I kind of felt constantly was, because we're watching on like a big screen,

which is behind the camera, and we're just seeing positions just change all the time. And it was, as you say, most of the time, slam dunk. The battery runs out for one of the drivers trying to defend. Maybe they don't have overtake mode. All of a sudden they've lost one, two positions. And yeah, it was very much how I felt Australia was, where not only was it yo-yoing,

but it felt like the drivers were almost learning as they went as well of where to deploy. Because at points, drivers were just sitting ducks. They were. And I know Antonelli and Hamilton were the class of the field in qualifying. And I know in the race again, but I'm convinced it's very similar to Australia, where the guys in that kind of fighting for third was Lando,

George, Oscar, Shal, Max. They were all going for it. and they just lost so much time because they didn't actually lose a huge amount of time throughout the race. It was just all at that start. And that reminded me so much of Australia where as soon as you get caught in a battle and someone's flying past someone and then you lose so much time and you get repassed and you get repassed, they were like five seconds behind, I think, after about four laps, just because they were all switching positions, which on paper,

and it's the same conversation of Australia, on paper, that is exactly what you want to see. Last year, we were here complaining about processional races and everyone's stuck behind each other and there's too much dirty air. Now we're getting loads of action. Too much action. Too much. But I think it is cemented in the fact that this track, it just really did feel like we've gone back to the start. But I think that is track specific. And I think had Saudi not been cancelled, we would have had exactly the same thing.

I think that was the number one circuit for what would have been maybe the worst in terms of the whole recharge. And that's before they would have changed the rules as well, which would have been something to behold. So it does feel as though Formula One are learning as we go as well. I can't imagine they'll have the same recharge rate here next year. Of course, they are trying to make these small changes anyway, aren't they? But it was too far on the level of artificial for me, for sure. The one thing absolutely out of all of it was the battle for the lead, where Hamilton was doing his utmost to try and keep the...

the lead. But of course, Anthony got into that one second window. He was able to have slightly more of a deployment. Of course, that's what happens within that one second, the overtake mode. But the move down the hangar straight was just the easiest. There was no, there was no battle. There was no water wheel. He was four car lengths clear, Antonelli come the end of the straight. It was so markedly different. It was. I saw some telemetry data of the two cars. And obviously they were very close in qualifying, Anthony Lee and Hamilton, and how much more deployment Mercedes have on all the straits is something,

you know, they've got their car right. We know that. That's why they've won almost every single race this year. But yeah, I think probably the biggest frustration, maybe it wouldn't be so extreme if we'd have just had a lot of the racing at the start. It's still bad, but I think the fact that we were so excited for when Antonelli finally goes for his move. It was almost like a slow burn that bit of the race where you're just kind of like, Antoni's there. They're chasing there half a second. Now it's point three. Oh, he's going to do it.

And that was, oh, yeah, and then it was just done. And yeah, I'm not not here to to defend it at all because it was very disappointing to see that. We have had it in the past where circuits and DRS just haven't got it right and we've seen that. But that was definitely like the worst. of the kind of battery deployment racing that we saw and it really does feel like this circuit is just going because of the nature of it straight back to what we were seeing in Australia, which is why probably so many people are unhappy and I don't blame them. No, and as for the part of the question which says, should we expect to see more of it for the main race? Yes, I think that is the case.

They'll learn a bit. I hope they don't do what we said before the rule changes where they know going for a move probably isn't worth it unless it's you're definitely going to do it because again they lost so much time we saw i think it was george and max swapping positions again and again that's probably why george was like dropping back like had that not happened maybe maybe george is finishing third for example yeah it's almost like the drivers get a little bit overexcited in those first couple of laps they're racing drivers they always want to pass each other and then they look down at the dash and go oh my god i've got no battery left and then all of a sudden the cars are going to fly no battery and the guy in front is now four seconds ahead yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah deploying in a

sub-optimal way is so costly. It's crazy. It's quite funny to witness, though, because it is literally like head versus heart, and they are Formula One drivers that will always go for it. You know if you're in the car, you're going to press the button that makes your car go faster. Yeah, exactly. And then go, oh, no, I shouldn't have done that. No one saves a mushroom in Mario Car. No, you use it straight away. You're supposed to, though, in time trial, for the exact right points. Anyway, next question, people on Patreon, remember, Ghost of Indy 2005. Is Silverstone exposing these cars and regulations again? batteries and superclippings seem to be an issue this weekend. I think it is circuit-specific this because there are no heavy braking zones.

You know, there's a few, but not many. Well, a lot of like the long straights you have sort of medium to high speed. Exactly. Stowe here as well in this sequence that we're watching from. Because I saw in qualifying that Hamilton didn't press the brakes between, I think it was turned seven and 15 or something, not once, which shows how much that that's the way. to drive rather than actually hitting the brakes and that's how he's got the time from the lap

which is mad. That's mad. Seven to 15 includes Maggots and Beckett's. I'm pretty sure they would have braked at some point when they were going hell for leather back in the day. Yeah, exactly. So this is very much circuit specific because we've not had this conversation. We've had some brilliant races the last few Grand Prix and we've kind of forgotten about

this whole topic. It is such a shame. It's happening at Silverstone because it's a less. legendary circuits, one of the best on the kind, it's always delivered. But it really is, you're really seeing the extreme nature of these regulations there. You certainly are. Yeah. And I think that, as I kind of mentioned at the top of the show, it is very much, this is one of the worst tracks for it. We will go to other circuits, you know, like the lots of, I think Belgium will be interesting. I think that might be similar to this in a lot of

ways because there's not a lot of heavy braking zones either there, but then Hungary, we won't even talk about energy, I don't think. So it's a shame, it's the way the regulations are. We have to kind of accept it. But yeah, it was because of how epic and iconic Silverstone is as a circuit, it was a bit sad to see some corners reduced to recharge zones, very formularee-like. Thank goodness it wasn't what it was at the start of the season, because how bad would that up there? Oh, goodness gracious. I dread to think. Although I would have taken, you know, both Charle and Lewis fighting for the wind, but only just Lewis. Is that the next question? It is indeed.

Robbie Swain 14. Is Norris the most underrated driver this year? Lando did a phenomenal job, P3 in the sprint. He was caught up in that whole kerfuffle with what we said from third all the way down to seventh. But then he managed to break away, and his pace looked really good. Once he had sort of settled down,

I think he even closed in on Hamilton a little bit come the end of the race. And I find it really fascinating. The difference in teammates this weekend, you have Antonelli Clear of Russell, You have Hamilton clear of Lecler. You have Norris, clear of Piastri. And obviously, Vastappen is always clear of Hadjar.

Kind of. I mean, qualifying has been quite close. Yeah. But there is a serious teammate difference this weekend, which I find fascinating around a circuit like this. Of course, Hamilton has his own reasons because he's unbelievable around here. But for Lando, yeah, Oscar had a pretty good Austria. You know, he's kind of said he went quite quietly about his way to a P4 last time out.

But Lando, despite some issues, I think he had in practice. Shocked. Yeah, once again. And qualifying had the brake thing. Of course, yeah, just fall off. First to the SQ1 and SQ2, wasn't it? Yeah, and he is still on that run of form of whenever his car doesn't break, he's able to extract a phenomenal amount out of his car.

So Lando P3, very strong. And I think he will quietly be feeling confident about the race tomorrow, where strategy is implemented and his race pace, as I say, looked as good as Hamilton, maybe even slightly better, Antonelli's home and dry. But a Lando P2 is definitely possible to, tomorrow should qualify and go to plan. Yeah, I completely agree that Landon Norris is the most underrated driver this year.

And rightly Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton are the two top drivers this season that are getting all the praise. But Landau, we said this before, when his car has been working, he delivers. And I think he's driving better than ever. He's clearly very comfortable in these regulations. He's had the measure of Piastri more often than not this season, particularly when his car's working and often can put massive margins on there. And you feel like, said it, the weight of that that championship off his shoulders,

he's smiling around the paddock again, it doesn't look like it's kind of that stress of the championship. Obviously, he'd love to be in that championship fight, no doubt. Every driver would be. But he's almost immediately just accepted the situation. He doesn't seem frustrated. I want a championship now. I'm not in the fight this year. And I think he is showing just as much, if not maybe more,

that he's a worthy world champion and what he's done with that car because he's been absolutely brilliant this year. Completely agree. Next question, P1 on pitch. Remember, Mary M.M. What happened to both Red Bulls? They cannot start. And it's just happening again and again and again with Red Bull.

We were watching from the balcony. and I said, oh, I'll be happy if Max will be P7 at the start, 6th, sales place. And that feels like a win because of how bad the Red Bull starts have been. Does it? No. No, it would never feel like a win. But in terms of like... The guy that wins everything.

Yeah, no, but it feels like not that bad compared to his teammate, who dropped loads of positions and flew all the way back into the midfield. But Red Bull, while we saw Antonelli didn't wait at the start of the season, could not get it right. There was procedural issues and it wasn't always down to the driver. But that's gone now. That whole narrative of Antinelli

can't start a Grand Prix is over. Yeah, he almost got Hamilton into term one. Exactly. The Ferraris do not have the advantage anymore. Charle went from fourth to seventh at the start. How does that even happen? How are we nine rounds in and all of a sudden,

Charles is losing positions at the start? Far-starting Ferraris. Like, what do we have anymore? But Red Bull, I just, that in that position where you almost know they're going to lose places on the line. And unfortunately for Hadjar, despite the massive gap between the midfield and the top runners, Hadja just dropped too many positions. It was quite, it's an insane thing to say it was quite hard to overtake because of how, when they did

overtake, they breathed past. But people were stuck behind and it was all about just where you deployed in the best kind of way. And Hadjar, yeah, didn't even get a point in the end. Liam Morseon must be absolutely buzzing that him getting a point in the sprint is amazing enough. But I think even more satisfying that he's beaten the second Red Bull based on everything he's gone through and that team. You could tell he wanted to keep him at bay as well because that little squeeze at stone was heart in your mouth moment. That's what we want to see.

I want to see more of that. Yeah, Hajar was not happy, as you can probably tell. It was very close. It could have easily had both of them out of the race. But instead, yeah, Lawson, what a phenomenal drive to score points in the sprint where all four teams finished. He's capitalised on a red ball mistake. It's crazy to think the second team have better starts and are able to take points away from the main team. It's truly ridiculous. What else to mention from the sprint before we wrap up? Paris had a collision with

Alonzo. Yeah, that's changed the complexion of the race entirely, didn't it? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Alonzo could have got 19th and instead got 20th. Me, seeing them in real life, I thought they were doing a hybrid race between that Formula 2 and Formula 1. That's how bad. It's at Le Mans, isn't it? Stroll was lapped. In a sprint. He did pit though, so maybe that's where he lost some time.

However, still, lapped. Alonso 91 seconds back, of course, he was spun around. But still, a long, long way away. It's a 17-lap race for crying out loud. I think another thing to mention is, and this is probably, again, going back to Australia and how this track is exposing how good you're kind of packages and how well you you work with these new regulations and stuff because the gaps are

absolutely insane like even Holcomberg finishing 13th is 40 seconds off a gazley's 11th he finished 40 seconds off in a sprint race yeah it's madness that the gap and you do wonder as well if that because they're all overtaking each other as well they're all losing time so it just kind of makes it even worse for those guys to drop back it's interesting isn't it when you look at the top eight there is not one single two by two going on. But then you look at the midfield, you have the two Alpins, the two Alpins, that's my fiancé calling me,

the two Alpins, the two Alpses, the two Hasses, the two Williams, then the rogue botas, then the two Aston Martins. Yeah, I mean, it would have been, probably would have been, it would have been Peres ahead, wouldn't it, of the two Aston Martins?

Tell me final thoughts after the sprint? Final thoughts? It's Formula One washed? Final thoughts, I'll bring on Kuali because it was amazing. yesterday I hope we see a lot of the same. I hope Hamilton can fight it again because it seems like he's the only one that's got an answer for Antonelli who's looking unbelievable and he needs track position to kind of do anything. Right, that is it everybody. We will see you very shortly

for the main qualifying chat. Until then, we're going to go enjoy the fact where it's Silverstone BridgeVage. Absolutely. Looking forward to it. See you soon. Bye. work.