P1 with Matt and Tommy - Reaction to Miami GP qualifying

Episode Date: May 3, 2025

Max Verstappen doing Max Verstappen things. Water really is wet.Come and join us as we chat through our reaction to the Miami GP qualifying session.You can listen to an extended version of every Race Review podcast over 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!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. Qualifying, locked, loaded. What feels like the 90th competitive session of the weekend is done. And we are here to reflect on a quali that once again, 2025, as I believe Fred Fassur said, has become a qualifying season because we had a banger once again, didn't we, Tommy? But what a qualifying season it is, because Quali has been unbelievable. And again, it delivered. After an amazing sprint, yeah, Quali delivered again.

And every time we go into these sessions and go, it's McLaren's, they're going to win easily. And there's always someone there, whether it's Antonelli Vestappen, Lewis Hamilton, that just pipped them right at the end. It's so true, isn't it? It's so true. It just felt like it was done and done. Like just how? How on earth has it happened?

We'll get into that. But let's start with Q1, at the bottom five, where Holkenberg, Alonzo, Gazzley, Stroll and Bearman. One of the most confusing Q1 sessions in a while. And I know Q1 can sometimes be madness, right? You know, it's usually quite close, and you're going, really half a second separating 16 drugs.

But this one was really odd, mainly because it just constantly chopped and changed and the pecking order even until the final lapse made no sense yeah it was completely jumbled up it made no sense it didn't you had like Bortoletto ahead of Russell you know I was silly and predicted Russell

Russell for poll but you know he was one of the favourites going into pole based on what Antoni did yesterday of course and then Bortoletto who you assume would definitely be going out in Q1, putting in this unbelievable app and being ahead of him and then as drivers were crossing the line,

it was so bizarre, it was all over the place with kind of the form. And we said this, you know, when we were watching, that the way the sectors are all quite different made it kind of changed throughout, that even if someone was unbelievable

through the first sector, they might make a mistake in the second sector or do something be a bit slower in there and it just kept us guessing like the whole way really it did it really did

the fact that both Aston Martins were out stroll after a sensational what did he end up in the end P5? Yeah in the sprint with all the penalties my wife

scoring more points for Aston Martin down in 90 I mean stroll in qualifying you know strolls stroll in qualifying isn't he really of course

didn't have that same instant that he had with Vestappen in sprint qualifying but Alonzo as well it's a shocker from Aston Martin Alonzo wasn't even really

that close to making it through over a tenth behind Nika Holcomberg who of course didn't make it although looked very close to potentially being able to make it

but his teammate was the one that was cooking but that's Q2 we're usually on to Bortoletto in Q1 but he's a whole another segment

but yeah I think obviously Aston Martin big talking points Gazley where what what Alpine Excuse me? Hello.

Actually, to be fair, speaking of Alpine, I want to officially apologise to Jack Duhin in our Sprink-Wolly podcast that we said about the fact that, you know, why was he so angry?

On reflection now, I know a lot of you pointed it out, so thank you for that. He had every right to be upset with his team and the engineers and Gazley's side and the fact that he was essentially

blocked off. It was, it was, yeah, poor from Alpine and poor from us as well. So I'm sorry, Devin. We didn't give you the full descriptive deliciousness. The context that was needed, yeah, of course.

We kind of miss that. Yeah. I prefer yours. But Gassley, P18, definitely, we're like, is this the Alpine from race one? What's going on? Yeah, or last year when they were absolutely terrible, because what a weird kind of performance from Alpine and Gassley who, Bahrain was, what, two races ago? He was fifth, I think he was, wasn't he, in qualifying?

Yeah. and now he's 18th, just 20-25 things, and how qualifying is just all over the place. But yeah, disappointing for Gassley, and we'll get into him later, but do an out-qualifying him there. And yeah, Bearman just seems like has... Why has been so many P-20s in him?

Like, what, he's like, I've got another one in me. Like, why does he... Why is he always doing like a great job? way like, oh my God, Olly Beeman, or his last. I feel like that there's the only two things that we've seen this year. And it always feels like Hasse either can only ever have one car that does really, really well in qualifying and the other one's kind of done badly because Estabar-Nock-on,

you know, deserves a huge amount of credit for where he finished the session. But yeah, Bermen, a shocker. Let's go to Q2 then, where the bottom five are Hajar, Hamilton, Bortoleto, So Dewin and Lawson. I said the bottom five. 11th to 15th. Of course, Hamilton being the big talking point here,

not making it through to Q3. It is certainly, it's not fun right now, being a Ferrari fan. I can give you full insight, being the fifth fastest car now, at least around Miami. That's what I have now officially coined them,

is the fifth fastest car. But Hamilton was struggling in, in the first initial phases of the sprint, had Albon all over him in those intermediate conditions. I think Ferrari did a phenomenal job, so did Hamilton to utilise a really good strategy. But it was just an eye-opener again, a crash back down to reality for Hamilton and Ferrari

that he just looked nowhere throughout the entirety of Q2. Fryer allowed to have a nice thing and then for it to last for ages, they have to space. fresh down, even the same day. You know, Hamilton had that amazing job in the sprint and then going out in Q2. There was a moment where we were on board with his car

and it looked like he was on an ice ring. You don't see Formula One cars much anymore where they're fighting the wheel so much because you're so used to them having so much grip and, you know, be able to throw it into corners. But, yeah, there was this random onboard that we watched where Hamilton was absolutely fighting his car. and like many made kind of a lockup going into that that final heavy braking zone and it cost him big

and when that when that field is so close and Ferrari as you say are kind of close it feels almost closer to the midfield now than they are to the McLaren's and the front runners a bit a big mistake is going to cost you massive and yeah it definitely has for Hamilton I'd love to as a Ferrari fan able to say, yeah, Hampton was going to actually clearly get through, had it not been for that locker. He was down on sector one. He was down on his personal best sector two as well. Not just the fastest, on his own sectors.

So the reason why he locked up was he's obviously tried to make up a little bit of time into that hairpin and it's gone wrong. So lack of speed in the Ferrari camp and it's looking a lot. I mean, my expectations coming to this season and where they actually are, it's not. Not looking good, Brev, is what I'd say to that one. Other drivers to speak about. Hadjar, of course, in P-11, out-qualifying his teammate Lawson, once again. Hadjar looking like the strongest of the pairing in that particular battle.

And then a question from P-1 Patreon member, a good Karen. Is Duhin's bounce back today to out-qualify his teammate? Proof, rookies just need time. I wouldn't jump on that bandwagon just yet, just from this one performance. but what I will say is doing did a great job. And perhaps, you know, we looked into, oh, why was he so upset? And, you know, the whole situation aside, I still stand by just how upset he was. I was sat there going, okay, I get the frustration, but it feels like there's more going on here.

But perhaps it was just the fact that he had a good feeling around here and thought he might be able to outqualify his teammate. And he felt almost sabotaged in some ways in sprint quality. So Dewan has now translated that. potential performance in sprint to a real one in main quality and he should be very proud of himself. I know 14th isn't the greatest in terms of, I don't think he's highest qualifying performance this year, but he's outqualified his teammate. And I feel like he's had it in him because although he's had, I'd argue, a pretty terrible start to the year in terms of making bad headlines with crashes and things like that,

I think we both said we've been surprised of his pace that he's not looked a million miles off Gasly and has kind of had those moments where he has Sean and you think, you know, if he just gets it together, he can be on Gasly's pace or even the occasional out-qualifying him. And that is what's happened after, you know, doing being able to bounce back after a really low moment. And, you know, we're into round six now. And with, the exception of Behrman, that's Hajar, Bortoletto

doing Anne-Dantinelli all as rookies that qualified the teammates. And we know Bermann's, of course, has had it, you know,

he's shown what he can do as well anyway. So, yeah, they've been very impressive and, speaking of rookies, I think Bortoletto up in 13th.

Imagine, for all the predictions of many people would have kind of said that Hamilton might be challenging for the championship this year. Imagine you said by round six,

Hamilton will be one place ahead of Bortoletto. It's not great reading, is it? Well, somehow still managed to throw in some Ferrari. But what I'm saying is Bortoletto. That is a great performance. It is, yeah. A man of the moment, I would say, Bortoletto up in 13th. A brilliant performance from him.

And again, this is what teams can work with with drivers like Bortoletto And even Bearman, I'm going to say, I know I put him as a good surprise for the season, and I'm trying desperately to click on to that because he has. But it's the fact that they do have a great performance in them. It's not a, and I'm really sorry, Logan Sargent fans, a Logan Sargent, or even a Nicholas Latifie. Oh, no, I know hungry.

I know, sorry, sorry, guys. But as long as you see a performance in a driver, in a rookie, and they're not crashing every single week, there's something to work with. Like, you can mould them into a decent driver, whereas if they're just toodling around consistently finishing 18th, 9, 19th, there's not much you can do to move forward. So yeah, there's promise there in a lot of the rookies, to be honest with you. And Bortoletia should be very happy with himself.

Okay, we head to Q3 and the top 10. Tommy is smiling. Well, actually, I'm smiling more than Tommy, which is crazy. At the top 10 with Vastappen, Norris, Antonelli, Piastri, Russell, Sines, Albon, LeClaire, Ocon and Sonoda. Max Vastappen on poll again. Come on. come on. Again, he puts what, seven tenths on his teammate

and nobody even blinks an eyelid. Is that the phrase, isn't it? Binks an eyelid? Yeah, batters an eyelid, yeah. Batters an eyelid, yeah. Similar kind of thing. Anyway, yeah, I do love it right, because I genuinely was shocked.

You were shocked as well, Tommy, because in Q2, especially McLaren looked clear. I think they were looking very quick and you expected them as favourites to go in and take poll, but Vastappen put in another phenomenal lap that it's just Max Vastappen things. It's exactly what we predicted would happen this year.

He's not far off in that machine, but there is no way he should have been on pole. You saw Lando's hairpin. He mounted that curb and lost 10.5, 2 tenths, I reckon. Easy. I think that was pole in the bag for Lando. He makes that slight mistake. Max utilizes his equipment.

almost perfectly, and snatches pole again to set up a really exciting Miami race. Very exciting, yeah. Max, if you just said at this point, based on the struggles that they had in Bahrain, testing and looking at very much like they're going into the season with the fourth fastest car, and Matt Staepin, six rounds in, has the most poles of any driver this season is an absolutely insane thing to think about. when every single qualifying session we go in and think that McLaren's are going to be absolutely miles ahead. And they still do have that race pace where they are incredibly quick. But the most insane thing is that he's pulled it out of the bag, hasn't he, in Japan, of course. And he did the same in Saudi.

But we had a qualifying session yesterday, and he was three-tenths off pole in fourth. And even the other sessions as well, he never really felt like he was there. That session felt like it was, which McLaren's going to get pole? And can a Mercedes even sneak a surprise in? And he's done it again out of nowhere. And when they get in that window, you just know that Max can deliver something special. And oh my word, we've got three cars with three different teams separated by less than a 10th of a second.

We are in dreamland right now for qualifying. Like, please say they could follow. If any, they could follow. But qualifying is amazing. In fact, this is something I wanted to read out yesterday, but couldn't find it in time. But I have actually got it now. Oh, so here we go. Tommy's tasty facts.

Tommy's tasty facts. Here we go. So it's kind of felt like every qualifying session has been really close. And I'm going to read the gap to second. from every single race this year. So first race in Australia, 0.08. Then we went to China. The gap was 0.08 again.

The sprint was 0.01. The Japanese Grand Prix was 0.06. Saudi was 0.01. Bahrain was 0.07. Then we had the Miami sprint that was 0.04. And then the Miami main race today qualifying was 0.06. So you're telling me, we've this. never been over a tenth the whole season.

Insane. I knew it was close. I know and I looked back and I was like, this is this so, right. Am I tripping here? If you added that all together out of every single quality session, you're looking at like maybe three tenths over the course or like four tens across the entire year that we've had so far. Yeah.

It's absolute madness. That is ridiculous. More of that, please, is what I would say to that one. P1 Patreon member AMG Piper has come in with a question, have McLaren dropped the ball in qualifying, or was it just a world-class performance from Max? I think both can exist. I think McLaren did drop the ball slightly,

as I mentioned with Lando's mistake at the hairpin, but I also think Max is performing at a level that we have to just appreciate. And it's not like, it's McLaren aren't clear. they have the fastest car in my opinion by a tenth or two, but they have to get to that level every single week. Otherwise, you've got a driver like Max Verstappen

that will just snatch it away from you. So you have to perform. There is still a huge amount of pressure. And this is what we're seeing. This is why the champions rise to the top. I was going to say cream, but I was going to say champions instead. We said this many times,

haven't we, this year, that we're kind of showing just how, maybe un, it's maybe not right to say underrated because they obviously are very highly rated drivers. But everyone, because we had Lewis Hamilton dominate for so many years in the Mercedes and then Maxx happened when he got a good car completely dominated, it just felt like a given that they would always win, dominate the championship. It would never be close.

And they'd always, you know, get loads of pole positions and they'd win the races comfortably and have so many wins. And I think maybe a lot of fans that have only been watching for that number of years maybe just feel like, as soon as you get that car, that's it. That's how Formula One works. You get the car. But you have to deliver as well. And even though McLaren have this great car

and are doing well, they are making mistakes here and there. Both of them, of course, you know, messing up on their lap. They should have been one two today. And yeah, you know, particularly, he was very clear to see that Lando through that final corner, the final main corner, you know, a big arrow and he would have done it easily. And instead, he now has to start alongside Max Verstappen, who we know doesn't give an inch when it comes to the first corner.

And that's going to be such a fascinating battle because I think Lando needs to, for the good of his career and narrative around him, He kind of needs to get one over on Max, I think, based on everything that happened last year. And Max isn't going to want to give anything. We saw that even in the last race. It's going to be an interesting development, isn't it? Because I know on one side you're saying he needs to get an upper hand on Max Verstappen. He needs to beat him tomorrow.

And I agree, he should beat him tomorrow, whether that's through strategy or on track. But on the flip side of that, in the landscape that is this 2025 season, Lando's main rivals, behind him in Oscar Piestri, who he is ahead of at this stage. I mean, I would assume that Oscar's going to beat Kimmy tomorrow. So, you know, in the grand complex of the championship, Lando's gained four points on Oscar Pastery if they finish second and third tomorrow. And it is a net gain. But obviously, he's going to want to win as well.

But are we writing off Max? That's the thing as well. I think it's going to be hard for Max to win the championship. Let's not forget. He lost eight points to Lando in the sprint, seven points to Oscar in the sprint. He's now 19 behind Oscar in the championship. And it can easily, very easily slip away. I don't think Max is going to be there every single week with the Red Bull.

There's going to be times where it's just not quick enough compared to the McLaren. It's a beautiful, it's a beautiful championship. I can't wait for this storyline to continue to unfold. Speaking of storylines, but this one I really wish would just unfold or just cease to exist. P.1, Patreon, member, Piano Juggler. Will it ever actually be Ferrari's year? That's actually hit me in the fields that has. The way that you've worded that piano juggler.

There's like, will it ever actually be Ferrari's here? That's what I say in the mirror most mornings when I get up. Charles LeCler, one of the best qualifiers on the grid, has been outqualified by both of the Williams drivers. Carlos Sines, his good buddy, up in sixth, Charlotte Claire in P8 Um Science has upgraded it by going to Williams

Yeah you've got to you've got to bin it off now Ferrari Tommy has cooked you with his biggest flop of the year He's he has done you in And I am really upset by this Tommy That you because you're going to be so smug When we come back to our predictions But yes now Tommy's scenario has unfolded

We put the 2025 box in the fire And we now look to 2026 and beyond This season did not exist. We'll take a China sprint win for Lewis Hamilton and we will cut it off there. No more resource spent this year. No more new parts. I don't care.

We don't need to win Monaco. If we've built a car for Monza, I'll take it. I've lost everything, Tommy. I really have. I've lost all hope that Ferrari are going to win any main race this year. I genuinely don't see it. Monaco? No.

They don't have the quali pace. No, they don't. Charles has got close, don't get me wrong, and Saudi I think he was pretty quick, wasn't he? But I just don't think they've got the grip and the performance in the car that they've rebuilt and redesigned for this year. And I'm now ruining the fact that they've done that. Yeah, it is crazy.

I think I said this in the watchalong that, you know, we saw at the end of the season that, Charler Lecler was, I think, the last seven races or something. The championship, if you just took those seven races, Lecler, Norris, and Vestappen were separated by barely anything. I think Lecler might have even been ahead at some of those kind of stages and he was getting wins and things. And Ferrari with that team that could capitalize getting victories at things like Monza, they won at Cota, Calaisianzai. wasn't it as well. So they were there to capitalize and also had a very quick car. And we've gone into a new season where there's not been a big regulation change. Ferrari have decided to change

their entire car going for one year and Lewis Hamilton is starting alongside Bortoletto in a salber. You said that once. That once is fine. But that twice is cross the line, Tommy. that has to sink in that they were fighting to grace the grid for the last 15 years yeah I get that as well I've been saying that with my P19 prediction

they got so roasted but the fact is they were there with McLaren and it's unacceptable that they've gone into this next season and they are nowhere they got so so bad that we're laughing at

Carlos Sites basically out qualifying them and being quicker than them when we were saying that that was one of the most disappointing moves to go from Ferrari to Williams and he's laughing now it's ridiculous yeah Williams are looking really good fair play to them but we've got another question on Ferrari

Fire Breath asks should Fred get sacked I still don't understand why they decided to make a new car when they had one that could challenge for wins there must have been reasons I'm hoping actual logical reasons I reckon they feel like they'd hit the performance ceiling with the car in 2024 I think you just accept

that you've messed up and 25's a really bad one either or that's fine this is all talking in hindsight maybe they thought they were going to win the world championship maybe they've thought that for many years

I will say that I am not going to start pointing fingers at Fred just yet love the bloke, love the man I couldn't think of anyone better to be leading Ferrari as a personality I love him. Will I love him in 2026 when we roll out with the seventh fastest car? Maybe not.

But no, I don't think we should be calling for him to be sacked just yet. It's ridiculous to call for him to be sacked. This just screams football team that recycle through managers and managers and then don't think that maybe it's a different problem that you're going through all these different managers. And Ferrari are that team. You know, oh my God, Bonotto is terrible. Get rid of him. Like, he's an absolute clown. Oh, Areva Bene is a clown. Get rid of him. All these Ferrari team principals, how many do they cycle through before we go, maybe it's not the team principal? Yeah, maybe it's a stop changing. I mean, at Hasse, it clearly was the team principal because they are brilliant now. Yeah. Sometimes. But, yeah, I don't think it's a case of changing the staff again. There's something more wrong with Ferrari than just making the team principal the scapegoat and going get in the bin. You can't sack, Fred.

Look, it's a lovely face. You just can't do it. Okay, moving away and going to James R.J. Reeves question. How impressed are you with Yuki Sanoda at Red Bull? Both Red Bulls have made Q3 in three consecutive Grand Prix qualifying. I think impressed is probably a tiny bit strong. I think it's been a solid start for Yuki. He needs to progress from here, in my opinion.

10th on the grid, 7 tenths off max. For his own career, he needs to whittle that down to 3 tenths, in my opinion, in these qualifying sessions and translate that into race pace as well. If he starts eating away, of course he's still learning this Red Bull. He's very quickly gone to this team after no 10th. testing. So you have to give him some kind of leeway and a bit of a buffer at the moment. I wouldn't say I'm sat here saying Yuki Sanoda is going to take over Red Bull. Max is going to, it hasn't been quite that level of performance. But it's definitely worthy of him staying there and

developing for the rest of the season, in my opinion. Yeah, obviously everyone knows that I love Levyuki Sonoda, but I think to say that it's really impressive, I think, is a stretch. I think he's justified that they've made the right decision getting rid of Lawson because he's, you know, struggling again also had the incident in the sprint. And I don't think any other team you would be looking when the teammate is on pole, the TEP10 when you're behind a has. is enough and you know you're only just beating

Hajar the rookie and the team that you've left but the thing is we we went into this season and Lawson after what happened everything with Perez and then Lawson those first two races that we were made to believe that that car is completely undrivable and it's awful

and it's going to finish last every race or you're going to it's a win to even get out of Q2 for that second red driver. So in that sense, to get P10 is a lot more solid and he deserves, you know, some credit for getting there. But equally, I think it's, you can't be, you can't be like, oh my God, it's so impressive that Yuki Sanoda's 10th because there's teammates on pole. You can't kind of go that extreme. You know, like seven tenths off, like you say. So there's a bit of balance there, I think.

Work to do, work to do for Yuki Sonoda. And finally, I'm surprised you haven't really sort of sung it from the hills. But Kimi Antonelli, third place, looking quicker than George Russell, once again in qualifying. It is... You almost got Lando. Yeah, 2,000ths of a second separating Norris and Antonelli. An Antonelli front row with Vastapa would have been tasting, to say the least. Would it?

I mean, two Vastappans, basically, on a front row. But again, I really hope, I hope my flop doesn't come in for Kimmy because of course it didn't go well for him after the sprint quality. Still scored a couple of points after all the penalties. But he's got a great shout of fourth,

I would say. Of course, Russell is going to try and get him back, I'm sure, as well. But could a podium be on the cards, it's going to be difficult with Oscar. But the Mercedes is not far away this weekend. So the dream is on. Yeah, it definitely is.

Antonelli's had another great performance and the fact that he's just looked, he's shown that it wasn't just like a flash in the pan yesterday because maybe whether it's fair or unfair, I think a lot of people looked at, and this is a question we got yesterday, that you looked at Antonelli's poll and the fact that Russell didn't go out again

that maybe George could have got pole if he did something. And had more in the locker. and had more in the locker, but he's looked quicker than George this weekend. And it's amazing what he's doing. And definitely could challenge for the podium. It just depends how Max does, because I do think that McLarence are going to be incredibly quick in the race. I could see them being won to again.

And it, yeah, it just depends if Max can hang on and how aggressive Antonelli is going to be at the start. after what happened last time in the sprint and are saying maybe you know take it a little bit easy I don't think that competes with Kimi Antonelli if I match just happened in that in that sense and I'm here for it and I'm hoping Olli Behrman doesn't attempt the same move he did in the sprint race where he essentially nearly bot ass bold by going between two cars so Behrman from 20th he might well lead after term one if he goes for the kind of same move he did in the sprint Right, that is it. Thank you everybody for tuning in to this Quali recap. Cannot wait for the race tomorrow. It is going to be, fingers crossed. Pretty exciting,

at least from a strategic element. I'll have a few overtakes as well. Get a super sub from KMAG just to give us a few more dive bombs maybe. Tommy, what would you say your final thoughts are? My final thought is it's rare before we finish the pod that I can clarify something from earlier. But I don't know how I manage this, but in the... qualifying roundup of all the results, I did get one result wrong, which was Bahrain was actually a tenth and a half, which was the biggest gap by a mile, so I'm so sorry. So you realise that all the mathematicians would have already put that in the comments.

And they're saying, Lom Lellingham has no idea about using a calculator or using his eyes, unbelievable. Right, well, good. Well, that will boost the engagement on the video. So thank you, everybody. It was Tuesday, too, lots love to take care. Bye. Goodbye.

I was going to say, yeah, my chore, Tommy, is going to read. I was sat there going, really? I'm sure there was. I was convinced there was one. Yeah. 10th and a half, that's massive. Massive.

Huge. Ridiculous. Bye. Bye, by everybody. P1 is a stack production. And part of the Acast's created network.