P1 with Matt and Tommy - Reaction to Las Vegas GP practice

Episode Date: November 22, 2024

We're up at the crack of dawn to check over the runners and riders at a chilly Las Vegas, as Mercedes stumble across a good setup and we're get a preview of a super spicy Stake showdown™.Join us for our End of Season tour across the UK this December! There are still some tickets available for London, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol right here!Sign up to our Patreon here! You'll get access to bonus episodes, our classic race podcast series, every P1 episode ad-free, early access to live tickets and merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with other F1 fans!Follow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody and welcome back to the P1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. Las Vegas Grand Prix edition. We're finally into the final triple header of the season. And it's an early start, but I'm not going to complain. We were there last year, Tommy. It was also a weird session time then. It's not like it's a really convenient session time for Vegas and an inconvenient session for us. It's late in Vegas.

And it's, what, 6am here, well, what, 6 a.m. when the session started. But I will say, all Australian listeners and watchers enjoy. Congratulations. You've won this time. And I hope you're enjoying these very sociable hours. Yeah, it doesn't, it's unsociable hours for America and basically Europe. So, Aussies get their chance and everyone in that part of the world to finally enjoy Formula One at a very good time for all their hard work for the rest of the. where they have to watch it as stupid o'clock.

Exactly. This is a reward, isn't it, for Aussie fans? Right, let's get into essentially both free practice sessions because free practice one. Okay, let me do a rundown of free practice one. There was a lockup. Okay, free practice two then. You know when you watch the YouTube highlights. And it's Alex Jake's doing the commentary and it's like, there was a lockup at, like, People went wide at turn four or whatever you go, oh, right, I've not missed too much.

You know it was an absolute stinker when they go straight into the results. Like literally, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. In first place was, it's like, oh, okay, it's that kind of free practice session. I was like, oh, it ran and all the drain covers were welded down. Good, right. Yeah, they were very welded down. But I guess that from free practice one, Mercedes fastest, Hamilton from Russell. Goodness gracious me, Mercedes, are they back?

But then if we actually go to free practice two, which of course had a lot more action. It had a lot more mistakes, errors out there. And again, Hamilton was fastest ahead of Norris. And then his teammate Russell was in third. So I think we're just going to dive straight into it for the first question. P1 patron member, C.C. Hollister. Where did Mercedes come from?

Where did they go? Where did you come from? Sorry, that was really, that reference is not going to hit. Modern reference. I know, right? such a modern guy. Mercedes, where do they come from? Well, on one part of my brain, I'm going, oh, this is going to be an exciting weekend.

Mercedes, back in the, at the front after, of course, Hamilton having that stinker of a Brazil weekend. Russell, let's not forget, was right in there until red flags and all that sort of stuff. But I'm also interested to see when the ambient changes by 0.1 degrees, where Mercedes will be come tomorrow. So it does feel like it's just another sort of deja vu moment of Hamilton being like, wow, the car was amazing in Friday and then completely undriveable on Saturday. But let's see. Right now, at this present point, Mercedes do look good.

Before they've touched anything in Park, before Park Fair May and maybe we get to FP3 and their 19th and 20. The mechanic sneezes on the car. This is peak Mercedes. Yeah. is you don't want to get too carried away. We've seen it before. They've always, there have been many sessions, free practice sessions, where Mercedes has been fastest and we whip out our Mercedes back thumbnail and go,

oh, this is it. Mercedes are going to win. We're getting up the old reliable again, though. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Don't you worry? It'll be there. It'll be there. But we know that that car is so unpredictable.

And I think it is the only predictable. predictable thing about this is, of course, Mercedes turn up and manage to be quick at a track that has the most ridiculous temperatures and track conditions of all. I can't believe none of us in predictions when maybe that Mercedes is just the absolute goat in 10 degrees and doesn't work anywhere else. No, actually, you said Joe Guan Yu was the goat in 10 degrees, not Mercedes, sadly. So got it wrong. But yeah, Mercedes looking mighty so far.

So I think to do it in both sessions is maybe a bit more of a statement than just one. You're getting a bit emotional there, mate. I am. I'm losing my voice. It's very early. Mercedes, crazy. They're so quick. Okay, this next question did make me laugh slightly, but we're including it anyway. Berkey Ahern, is it going to be a four-way fight for the win? Or do Mercedes have this one wrapped up? Oh, Burkey.

Let me introduce you to Mercedes falling off a cliff this season, if you haven't seen it already. because I've seen this story before and Mercedes fans didn't like the ending, that's for sure, because it's not a guarantee. I think that right now they looked good. It's not as if they've somehow just climbed their way to the top and you're like, oh wow, how did Mercedes do that? They look terrible on board.

You actually watched them and you go, okay, Hamilton looks very much in control of his car, a lot more confident than perhaps we've seen him in previous races gone by. but you can't say that it's wrapped up. I think that Ferrari are absolutely in there. Charle wasn't able to really put in any kind of perfect lap, but I don't think anyone could. And that's a massive talking point in general is just the difficulty of this track

and the cold temperatures that we very rarely see down at the levels they are because of the beautiful desert and how it gets very cold at night. So yeah, it's not a Mercedes wrap-up by any stretch of the imagination. I think it's very hard to even see where Red Bull are. They didn't put any kind of representative soft tire run in FP2. FP1, you really do just take with a massive pinch of salt. We could see a four-way fight. I think qualifying is going to be really interesting.

I don't think we're going to have two-by-two by two-by-two. It could very much spring a surprise with how these track conditions currently are. Definitely. The second part of this question being, have Mercedes wrap this one up. No chance and I don't think that could be the case. It's not just for Mercedes but we've seen this year that even after FP1 or other practice sessions that you can't just count that as gospel because the pecking order is so close now

and people run different programs. So I think more than ever FP1 we can't just go off those results. but I do think Mercedes will be more confident than they have been. It doesn't look like their usual flash in the pan, but also equally I wouldn't be surprised if we get to qualifying and Hamilton's out in Q1. It just seems to be the way the season's kind of gone. And actually saying that it's a four-way fight,

we don't even know that because we have no idea what Red Bull are doing yet. McLaren have looked quick in Landau's hands. He's been near the front. And Ferrari will probably turn it up more when we get into the actual qualifying. So it's all going to change then. And that's the beauty of these kind of sessions and these conditions is that we don't know. Yeah, we're going to go into qualifying, almost like a sprint weekend where it feels like we've not done the running yet because it can all change. It absolutely could

And that's the beauty of Formula One But this is where we are This is the season, right? We have four teams That have all been fastest at some point And that's something that makes me very excited I'm glad we don't know I'm glad it's not just

Oh blah blah blah's fastest again And FP1 let's all go home You don't know, you have no idea We have no idea And that's the beauty of Formula 1 in 2024 Next question from P1 Patreon member Savage Moki 3.0 With there being no grip, can we expect unusual qualifying results to spice up the race?

I don't look, I think that, of course, I've only had one race around Las Vegas, but I love this track. I straight up do. I know that some of the things that it stands for and pricing fans out and things like that, I absolutely disagree with. And I think once again, from what I've read and heard is that they haven't sold out or anywhere near for Vegas this year. but in terms of what this track can actually produce and the variabilities that come with it as well

is something that really excites me and it excites you, Tommy, and we speak about how sprints work because it just shuffles it up a little bit and puts a little bit more pressure on teams to get the setups right. And this is the same kind of thing. I don't think it needs much spicing up from a qualifying perspective to have a great race because you've got nearly, what, a two kilometre straight

where you're just fully full throttle and you've got massive opportunities for slip streaming. And it's, it's, I really like it. I think we're in for another great race around Vegas, just purely by how the track does breed, overtakes and a bit of chaos as well with these mistakes that are coming out of a lot of the drivers. You don't tend to see this many mistakes in free practice.

I think Liam Lawson said in FP1, it felt like he was driving in the wet. So, yeah, that kind of shows you just how slippery these track conditions are. I do also expect unusual qualifying results to happen tomorrow because it's all about nailing that that sort of warm up preparation. I think we saw really interestingly in free practice too, Lando Norris going for a sort of fast, worn medium lap to get some break temperatures in. This is what Corinchandot believed.

Pitted immediately, had a fast stop, went out there and went on the softs to then go for his lap. So it's all about just trying to. And of course, Formula One is all. always about temperatures, but I think even more so crucially it is this weekend. So yeah, we could see a few surprises in the top five or six, I reckon. Definitely. I mean, let's not forget last year our old buddy Logi Saarge was up at the front qualified seventh, which was six on the road. So it can mix up completely and then we saw them drop away in the race. And I think that's

what this track provides is the fact that you might even get a completely different. order from qualifying to the race as well because it's so so mixed up so I love this track as well I think the the whole kind of cold temperatures and things is such a weird situation and so different to other tracks that I'm like why not because it produces something different some tracks are ridiculously hot that we go to why not have a crazy cold track as well that just delivers something different absolutely So we've spoken a little about the cold temperatures. I think that that not only is going to be interesting in qualify, but also the race as well.

What sort of stop strategy is that going to produce? I'm really fascinated to see how that unfolds. I think FP3 as well will give us an idea of perhaps where the teams are going with that. Now, coming into this weekend as well, probably worth mentioning is, there was a few bits of news, wasn't there, but one thing was this skid block loophole controversy. and basically it was going to be a change that they were going to do at the end of the season and now they fast forwarded it

and made it so that all the teams had to change it in this break going into the final triple header of the season. Now I understand that all teams had to make some kind of changes but it's unknown probably until tomorrow as to which teams will have been affected more than others. Yeah, definitely. It seems like people said, Ferrari, the way Sky seemed to explain it was that Christian Horner had been like, come on, let's do it now.

Yes, which is a very weird. I can't imagine that would have been. No, I can't imagine that was the case where one, because that makes it, you know, that just gets people to jump on the whole like, oh, certain teams are deciding the rules and things. Again, there must have been a legitimate reason for them to do it, but Ferrari seemed to be one of the teams that could be affected by it. I read Salber being affected, which is kind of quite comical because they're probably like, oh, come on, guys. This is the only thing we had to challenge for P18 and then you've taken it away from us. It's interesting because these kind of things, you never really know the full truth

because I read somewhere that all teams have to make some changes. Other places are saying half, maybe six of the teams need to make changes. McLaren, have they been hit with this? Just like how we spoke about the rear wing. that was going to have a massive problem for them as well. Zat Brown was interviewed in free practice and he said, look, it's not a problem for us. We can make changes.

But I think all Formula One teams are going to say, yeah, it's no problem. Don't worry. That loophole? Nope, that wasn't us. And then their pace might go off. But as long as they say from a PR perspective that it was not them that was being affected, then it's all good. Also, I think the pecking order is that close and there's so many different parts of Formula One

where it's a tenth here, a tenth there. I think the perception on Twitter a lot of the time is that when we see something like this and it's kind of like Red Bull have this fancy system, it's going to get banned for the next race, that they're going to like completely disappear or McLaren with their rear wing or this is going to affect Ferrari,

they're going to go backwards. And it does a little bit of damage, but not to the extent where people are like, oh yeah, they're going to finish 20th every race now because it's never that much of an extreme change and the teams find a way to work around it or just be a tenth here, a tent there. And then because of the way the season is so close

and you're going to different tracks and it's suiting some cars and not the others, it is actually very hard to tell how much it's affecting each one because you know, you come here and you might be like, oh yeah, you know, Mercedes looking really quick, Is it because of this? Is it because of this change?

Or it could literally just be the cold, or it could be because there's a really long straight, or so many factors into every single situation now. Yeah, I think the problem there for you, Tommy, is that you're going to Twitter for verifiable and truthful sources. No, I meant reaction. I meant reaction on Twitter. I didn't mean this is what people on Twitter say.

I meant Twitter's, Twitter fan reaction is always that their team or their driver or whoever they're like. This is it. Red Bull in the mud. Oh, they're over. Ferrari are finished now. They're not going to win the constructors because they've got to change their skid block. Like it's not, it's very, we've very rarely seen such an extreme thing unless it was, you're like, you know, a double diffuser or something crazy like we used to get back in the day or this, or like a Das where it was really popular and really made such a big difference. It's not going to, you're not going to suddenly see teams losing like a second a lap.

It's just not realistic. Okay, let's go to the next question. And I guess we're just going to put ourselves on the spot here after neither of us actually mentioning Mercedes whatsoever in the entirety of our predictions from Jonathan 83648. Are Mercedes the favourite for a poll? I'm going to say no. Just, just so when they do inevitably go out in Q2, I'm not seen as being very silly that I haven't learnt my lesson many times from Mercedes on a Friday that when they do turn up that sometimes

it just does not work. From a data perspective, yes, they are the favourite for Pohl because they've literally topped both sessions. But from a, I've seen this film before perspective, no, absolutely not. I will also say no, just because Lando Norris was 0.01 off. And the way the McLaren has been throughout the whole year compared to the Mercedes for Lando to be that close, you'd think that. the McLaren was the

the car to beat but then it can all change when we get to qualifying I still think it's close and we've not actually mentioned that it's funny that Hamilton's done this after he sort of it wasn't it wasn't exactly like a savage quote from Toto Wolf

but Hamilton kind of was talking about no I'm actually like feeling the best I ever have and all this kind of stuff about that and he's put in a good performance but it'd be I I hope it does because it would be great to have another team again fighting at the front and would be good to have them in the mix as well because I think that they have kind of dropped off

after those three races that they won in a row which is crazy to think about now. As soon as those three races finish, they've been comfortably like the fourth best team just pretty much there, just kind of sat not quite there. So, yeah. I found it as interesting as well that I believe on the run-up to these three races, Mercedes were outwardly saying, we're just going to be testing the car from here on in for next year.

They were basically just admitting that they're just going to see what works and try and figure out what to do moving into 2025. And they're like, oh, actually, whatever we've just done, we've sort of just shook the box of variables and gone, oh, this one actually works all right. And my argument for that is haven't they been doing that since, 2022 anyway from pretty much everything you hear of like Hamilton finishing 18th and then winning the next race and then the next race is 11th and then they're just going, yeah, we're

just trying experimental setups and all this, like all the time. You've just been hearing that since the start of 2022 anyway, which all just comes back to a car they don't understand. So let's see if that car they don't understand continues to be the goat into tomorrow. The goat indeed. And also definitely worth mentioning is the fact that Valtry Bottas has a five-place grid penalty going into Sunday's race. And I do specifically remember saying that Joe will not qualify P20

and that essentially secures me crazy predictions. So thank you very much. Watch Bottas qualify 14th now and Joe qualifies 20th. That's what I'm saying right now, Tommy. I'm also surprised you didn't do your local. grip, Botas, biggest good surprise hack. Actually, yeah, no, I've just celebrated something that I know that Botas is now going to cook. That's crazy.

I shouldn't have said that, right. No, Bottas, relax. He was up in 11th in FP2. Okay, all right. I'm regretting everything. Where's Joe? Where was Joe? 16th.

Oh, it's the Battle of the Ages right now. This could be quite something, actually. Forget Mercedes, this is the battle. Forget the battle for the Constructors Championship. It's the battle between Botas and Joe. The two flaming dustbins. Crazy prediction. And actually, I think it's just very quickly as well,

well, a word on Williams, because of course there was all these, again, probably on Twitter, rumours of Williams not having a car that they could bring to Vegas. They've destroyed every bit known to man. It's done. And lo and behold, they then arrive in Vegas with two cars. One that didn't really work very well in Alex Albon's hands for free practice too, which was a shame. But fair play to Williams for figuring that out, because I think there was a little bit of concern across the grid, even if it wasn't a case of

they're not just going to not turn up for Vegas to be out there. And I wonder what their briefing is as well. Don't crash, go get some points, but please don't crash. Please just don't crash. How much do you think that when James Vowles, you never know how much teams get that information quickly,

just heard Red Flagg Alex Album, a bit his heart sunk. And it's like, oh, okay, in a weird way, thankfully it's just a car thing and we don't have to do a big, big repair again. Because, yeah, insane what that team did. You know, we've not really spoken about, but like mega props to Williams and all the people that work there

just to do that in the first place. Because it's unbelievable. And that is what, you know, the mechanics and people that do that are the proper unsung heroes of Formula One. And for them to actually repair those cars is quite something because boy, was there a lot of damage in Brazil? There certainly was. So well done to Williams.

And that is it, Tommy. Looking forward to tomorrow massively. We'll be live on Twitch. As always, Matt P1, Tommy, if you don't follow us already. What are your final thoughts, Thomas? My final thoughts are looking forward to being on Twitch tomorrow, not just for a great qualifying session, but it also gives me a few hours to talk in the morning

before this podcast and my voice is actually working, which will be how much. be useful for a podcast. It is. Always useful. Appreciate that, mate. And maybe it's just the fact you're getting emotional that Max was 17th in free practice two and he's finished and landed for the championship's over.

I'm actually getting nervous again about the championship P17. Is he going to be able to get those three points in the last three races he needs to win the title? Is that all he needs? Three points? I don't know. Something ridiculous. Nah, it's a bit more than that. Isn't there like, there's three races and a sprint.

So there's 83 plus fastest laps, 86 available, is it, or something like that? I don't know. I've just done mental maths on the spot there. In my sort of delirious, my final thought is, you know, my delirious brain just watching free practice two going, what if Max Rastappen's engine just blows up? Lando wins. Does everyone then start going, oh my God, championship back on again? No, because, Formula One will.

Yeah, they will. They'll go to their social team department and go, get those. graphics ready, roll it out, here we go. Yeah, I know, it is crazy because I think people worked out that even if he takes those points out of it, there's even the fastest lap points, which we know nowadays can't be won because just Red Bull could just get their teammate to pit when they're... Perez did that, but sadly missed out by, I think, a second in Mexico, so... True, but...

Well, yeah, I can't... I can't believe we've got onto the final thoughts of we are now Formula One. Championship back on. No, look, I'm literally just in alternate realities here. You know, I'm very tired. And it is interesting to think that should, should. Maybe there's a chance. Should, no, I'm not saying that there's literally no chance.

There's no chance. I was just having a little bit of fun of scenarios in my head. And also, can you imagine how excited we would have, or maybe not you, Tommy, how excited we would have been had Max not put in one of the greatest drives we've ever seen in Formula One. Lando's taken points out of Max in Brazil. And then we come to Vegas and Red Bull didn't even bother putting the softs on. Yeah.

It's very true. It's funny how much it changes that if the order was different and, yeah, Brazil went a different way, that whole like Red Bull being 17th and 19th would have been the whole podcast and not Mercedes potentially winning. Literally. But there you go. We've actually spoken. a lot for a Friday podcast. I hope you enjoyed that.

We'll see you very soon. Lots of love. Take care. Bye! Spoke a lot about those four lockups in FP1. Yeah, look, we know how to know how to make content. And do you know what we need you to do is just make your bed. I know it was an early start today. Okay?

Just put those duvets, duvays, I don't know why you've got multiple duvets, back in place. and you've just run out of pet food and your dog is looking at you really sadly right now. I know you've already fed him, but you need to go and replenish the goods, okay? Tommy, what do people need to do?

They need to get that tumble dry out because, you know, you need to check on it. You need to check on the tumble dry, okay? Wow. An early morning one is really quite something. We'll see you very soon. Take care by the way. This is literally going in the podcast. What is wrong with me? Bye. P1 is a Stack production and part of the Acast Creator Network.