P1 with Matt and Tommy - Saudi Arabian GP Race Review

Episode Date: April 20, 2025

An unusual race in Saudi might have left us wanting more and shaking our fists at various regulations, but there's still so much to talk about! Come join us.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!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've done it. We've finished the triple header. We have got a week off now, which will feel like a month in the grand scheme of how many race weekends we've had recently. Saudi's done and dusted. Definitely a few things to talk about on Bellingham. We have some controversial incidents.

We have Charlotte Clare being one of the greatest of all time. there are plenty of things to reflect on we sure do yeah it was it was unusual race it's a bit it's a bit of a shame after the amazing race that we had in barraine that we got to this one that normally can deliver a decent race but it had unfortunately one stop written all over it and the problem is i know it's too quick for them to implement this but all the kind of things that we said in the last podcast about how to make a good race you need people on different tire strategies and more pit stops and things going on we kind of share showed the prime example here that, you know, when everyone's mainly on the same strategy,

it was only really Lando that did something different. You're not really getting a huge amount of action. And also the dirty air is quite depressing, actually. If you go back to 2022, which Formula One shared recently, and we were lauding this new form of regulation, and we had Charleroi Matt's stuff and going wheeled, wheel into every corner and so many other drivers in the midfield. Good times indeed. But instead, we're now here a few years later into that regulation and we're being told

the dirty air is so bad they're even deliberately dropping back as far from people as they can. So yeah, a bit of a shame. A bit of a shame indeed. Not the best race and one that we were hoping for a banger. Didn't quite get it despite the starting grid looking rather tasty indeed. Now before we get into everything, Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, quick shout out to our wonderful patrons who will be getting extra chat at the end of every single F1 race review that we do, the main one after Sunday. And a lot of things to talk about.

So Tommy, why don't you hit us with your most memorable moment? Well, it has to be turn one right at the start of the race. We're getting straight into it. Straight into it, of course. Start the race, start the podcast. Verstappen versus Piastri into term one and yeah we're here again aren't we

the first kind of thing I thought was that I'm watching 2021 all over again because Max did something similar when he kind of was alongside Lewis Hamilton going into the first turn and I actually watched that old footage back and he was a lot further behind then this one I had my opinions

when we watched the when we're doing the watch along, watch the highlights back. And I think from the off board, I was looking at it going, well, maybe he has been a little bit pushed off here because Oscars, you know, only just made the corner himself, but he has made the corner, of course.

But then when I watch Max's on board, he is never making that corner. In fact, he's even still turning to the left as he's going off the track. So he's not made the corner. And that, for me, is the key thing. and I and I just find these kind of incidents it's robbing as of battles and you can you know people will blame there'll be a lot of blame thrown around and stuff

but I do want to also talk about the fact that these circuits and just just the way that people can just bail onto the runoff now is really disappointing and it ruins Formula 1 for me to see it it's not a side of Vastappen's racing I don't like even as a fan of him. And if there was a wall there or gravel, Oscar Piastri is not going to run as wide as he is and equally Vastappen is not going to go off because he'd go straight into a wall. So he would, he'd have to wait and then try again later. But instead, these drivers now push their luck and max more than anyone and just they just throw themselves into the corner and say, oh, I'm ahead at the apex. And I was surprised that Max was so annoyed at the end of the race because I kind of felt like I personally thought

he knew what he was doing and in a way it was kind of net gain because he just took the five second penalty and went well I'm ahead and I'll see if I can pull out a five second gap which is exactly what he did in Vegas. Tommy popping off against his own driver who would have thought it. I am of a very similar opinion to you Tommy no surprise. I think it is a very popular opinion that that Max deserved that penalty that he got. There's a few different parts to this. Obviously, the overtake itself, it's a lunge from Max. It's a, I need to try and be alongside Oscar at the apex to then at least ask the question

of whether I deserve room or not. He then tries to hang it around the outside, but there is no attempt. Not, I'm sure Max wanted to, but there's no chance that Max is making the corner. there isn't yes oscar does go deep but oscar is doing a defensive move that max has done a million times which is just run them out of room it's is it's a done deal which max himself has done at that very corner yeah exactly and i think with max as well the only way he is side by side at the apex is because he's gone in too hot and that is why he's been penalized because he corner cut and then kept the lead if he breaks at a normal distance

thinking about making the corner, he's not going to be, even in the rules, allowed to be given room by Oscar. So that's where the difference lies for me and why he did deserve a penalty. And then obviously on your point about just being able to do it anyway

and it doesn't matter, this is the problem with newer Formula One tracks, a purpose bill, and this, that and the other, they all sort of lent towards, when we went through that phase of not liking gravel traps and just having runoff everywhere, it does make things like this so easy to do.

Because even though Max, you know, it didn't work for him, he got a penalty, it was a net gain. When you actually look at in reflection now and in hindsight, Max corner cutting there, taking the lead of the race, meant that that first stint he could run in clean air and not affect his tires anywhere near as much, Oscars ran out of steam towards the end of that medium stint because he couldn't keep up in the dirty air. We saw the likes of Charles Leclair when he got into some clean air with those mediums and went really long, just how quick he could go.

So Max knew exactly what he was doing in my opinion. He wanted to be ahead no matter what. He'll take the penalty on the chin. And that's it. And I think this next question kind of dives quite nicely into the whole penalty discussion as well, because that's another point to talk about with this. P1, patron member R&B sheep. should Max as penalty being 10 seconds? By just being 5, it's better to not give the position back

and have clean air, especially in these regulations. So this is the point I was kind of leading on to and wanted to discuss, is that you read the FIA documentation, the Steward's documentation, it says that had it not been lap 1-term 1, it would have been a 10-second penalty for Max. However, due to it being a lap 1-term 1 incident,

it's only 5. I don't particularly by that. I don't know if it's because it feels bigger with the fact that it's for the lead. The lead maybe. But there's more to be gained from doing that as well. If fourth corner cuts to take third, they still have dirty air to deal with.

Whereas Max's cornercut, fully well knowing that he's then going to lead the first stint probably with the clean air. So do I think it should have been 10 seconds? I would love to see just... something, and it probably doesn't exist in the rule book, but then again, stewards have done things in the past that haven't been in the rulebook,

is just to, in that situation, say, look, Max, give the position back, or we will slap you with a big penalty. Five is not enough. We've said this before.

We'll say it again. It doesn't penalise drivers that are in quicker cars that feel like they can do that and get away with it. So for me, it ruined the race as well, because Max having that penalty, see you're like, there's no way he's going to beat Oscar now. There were just a lot of factors to it.

And yeah, it's annoying to watch. I think as Formula One fans, it's not what we want to see because we want to see racing. We want to see them battling. So for the drivers just to be able to bail on the runoff, I don't like it. You know, Kimmy Antinelli was behind this incident and he actually was alongside Charlotte Claire, going around the outside. He wasn't going to make it. So he bailed onto the runoff.

but he did give the position back. And on this kind of the penalty here, I know this is a really extreme example, but it's something I've kind of said before, and they'd obviously look into other means and disqualifications and things. But what is to stop you just straight lining the chican at Monaco because you know you're going to be stuck behind a car forever and then just pulling out a gap?

Because I know that's a really extreme example, but Max kind of got net gain here because the the he kind of this is why I was surprised he was so annoyed because he did this in Vegas where he got the penalty and in in Vegas he kind of mocked the penalty didn't he went oh great thanks very much for the stewards I think it was it was it was 2023 I think it was

and and he knew that well I'm in the lead now I've got clean air and I can pull a gap and it won't actually really affect me that much. And I don't like to see that way of racing. There should be a common sense factor. We've said this before when drivers maybe even punt someone off or make a collision. You should have to make a clean pass to be able to be earned that position. You shouldn't be able to kind of ram someone off and then go, well, actually, it's worth the five second penalty because I've got the mat the way now. It shouldn't be that way. It shouldn't be a way. up, is it? It shouldn't be a, oh, well, I'll be in dirty air, so I'll probably take the five,

because that's a bit better than giving the position back. That's not racing. And that's what Max is the king of, and I understand why people don't like it, but he will bend the rules to help him in that way, and he will twist the rule, but I don't think that that should be the case. You shouldn't be allowed to do that way you just get to decide, well, actually, this is better for me if I just do this. And that's not as, as, you know, putting my kind of neutral Formula One fan that wants to see great battles and they're the best things for me is watching wheel to wheel racing where they can actually race each other,

they go side by side into a corner, and they can actually, you know, go round the corner together, and it's not about bailing onto the runoff or, oh, you need to give the place back, or this penalty needs to be given. It's just, it's irritating to watch because I kind of feel like it shouldn't even, it's such a shame that this can,

even be a thing now because got to say like other circuits and stuff you wouldn't be able to do it because you know you put you put gravel there max is in the gravel and he's maybe losing two or three places because he's stuck in the gravel trap so bring back gravel

is imagine gravel traps in Saudi Arabia would be very odd but there's got to be something it doesn't have to be everywhere runoff is necessary in places where it's incredibly high speed and you can't have cars flying off into the gravel

Saudi is unbelievable to watch on board so I do get the need for some but I mean gravel in turn one and two why not just stop it just stop the or something you know a little sausage curve or anything just to make it so that

the drivers don't want to go out there the fact that they are I know I guess the argument against that is but then drivers won't be willing to go for overtakes as much in there because there is that risk versus reward factor if you do have a gravel trap or whatnot. But something needs to be done.

But then it's too far the other way that you can just risk it and go, well, actually, there's absolutely no consequence because they can just bail out and cut over the runoff. You know, it happened. Go watch the F2 highlights and watch, I think it's Gabrielle Minnie, do the same thing four times

where he can just bail over the runoff air. It's almost comical in the highlights. And I think it makes a mockery of the sport being able to just have no consequence when you go for a move. It should be a risk. Going for a move should be a risk. It should. And I'm completely in agreement that it is a mockery.

And we should have seen Oscar Piastri leading that race. Max Verstappen chasing down with no penalty. I'm not, I don't think Max should have got a penalty had he just given the position back. That's racing for me. And Oscar deserved P1 after a great start. But it shouldn't be a bargaining tool. not disagreeing with you. This is what we're saying. It shouldn't be a bargaining tool where you can decide, do you take the five seconds or do you give the place back? It should be a clear thing.

It should be give the position back or you get 20 second penalty or something that's so big. Yeah, because that's what, I thought that's what they were kind of alluding to and clearly, clearly this is not the case because they kind of said, and maybe this is not the not, not now the case because they seem to change the overtaking rules and all the sporting regulations. So it's so confusing and you can't remember what rule is in place. But there was a moment where they said, well, it's actually going to be put into the driver's hands now and the team's hands, whether they give places back or will penalise them. But they should just be, I'm sure other series do it. I'm pretty sure Indycard do it where they say, no, you have to slow down and give it back.

It should be clear. I don't get why we have to have the teams guessing whether or not the stewards are going to give them penalties. Just be communicative, say this is what we're giving you. You don't need a 7,000 word article about it. You just need a common sense for a forceful race director to come on the radio and say, give the place back. Done. Oh, dearie me, we've started off tasty. Next question, P1, patron member 12.

Is that literally their name? Their name is 12, yeah. Wow. Would Max have potentially won if he gave the position back to Oscar at the start? No, I do not think he would have won the race. I think that is the reason why he did not give the position back. Because one, roll the dice, see if I've managed to tick all the boxes in the regulations. And two, he could still, if he gave Oscar back at the position,

he would have been in dirty air and he would have struggled massively. So that's what he knew. He knew that he would probably fall away, be sat in a three, four, five second deficit. So Max, yeah, he did have a little gamble there to see if it would pay off. I am still very surprised about his reaction to it, especially as he saw it on the TV, obviously when he was sat in the call-down room,

very quiet, very annoyed, like really annoyed. I can't remember the last time I saw Max this annoyed after a race because even in the interviews afterwards, He kind of mentioned to Rachel Brooks, who he was chatting to Sky about and saying, it's in the rulebook and things like that. And essentially saying that what he did was legal. He's obviously adamant that it is and thinks it is. But yeah, it's weird because I can't see that personally.

I think for context, so what I found online, the very little that are online, I literally downloaded the sporting regulations and it's got absolutely F all in there. But what I found is you have to have the front axle, at least alongside the front axle of the other car at the apex of the corner and at the exit, be driven in a safe and controlled manner and be able to make the corner within track limits. He didn't make the corner. That is my understanding of the three big points of overtaking around the outside, that is. Which I think he did the first two, but not the last one in my opinion. Two of three. Watch the onboard and he's not making the corner, I don't think.

I think it's pretty clear that's the case. But do you think Max would have want? I think, I don't think he would have let him through. I think there's another discussion to be had. Would Max have won if he'd have held the lead at the start? I think he absolutely could have. And maybe I never want to admit fault. And that's why such a, you know, that's why he's kind of the driver that he is,

that he kind of never kind of shows that that side. him and we know others would in that situation but maybe there's a little bit of I could have won that race because I think he could have if it had nailed the perfect start and been ahead of Oscar I think he could have won the race because the dirty air was so huge and so maybe there was a little bit of annoyance that maybe even if he doesn't know it that that could have been a race that he could have injured have won. Yeah, you don't often and I can't remember the last time

Max Verstappen was on pole position and did not lead after the first few corners. It's very rare that Max gets beaten into term one and perhaps there is that element of annoyance there as well. Yeah, and he makes it look so easy that you kind of, it just kind of became just so expected that

you kind of just assumed he was going to do it a lot of the time, but yeah. I said 10 seconds before the race start and the watch along that Max absolutely won't lose the lead into turn one and he did. And the expectation was there and sadly for him

yeah, maybe he just felt like he didn't deliver in that moment as well slightly. Question from P1 Patreon member Garmi 73. How crucial was this win

over Max for Oscar's mentality in this championship? I genuinely don't think Oscar is faced by anything. I think that man you know, he could buy an ice cream or win 10 world championships

and he'd have exactly the same emotional reaction. Drop his ice cream. It is so, yeah, dropping an ice cream. Can you think of anything worse in life than a newly bought ice cream on the floor? So, Oscar's mentality is something that we constantly have spoken about and we say ice cold. And we're seeing that again. He obviously went on the team comms, said his piece about it.

But from what we saw, then just put that away, got on with his race. Then the penalty was given out, took the lead when Max had to serve it, and looked untouchable from there. Yeah, Max was closing in, got to about three seconds, I think, at one point. But Oscar, I think, is just doing everything he needs to do in order to win these races. He's not putting himself in any crazy positions. We've not seen any mistakes whilst leading from Oscar Piastri. He now has three wins this year. He's leading the championship by 10 points.

And that is what is most impressive for me. about him is that he has that consistency or at least is showing it now this year that will win you a world championship. If he's got the pace which we've seen pretty much every weekend finished third in Suzuki

but that's only because he missed that on pole by four hundredths of a second and then of course in Australia had that slide off the track. He's been there every single weekend and delivered to his potential as well. So I don't think it, I don't necessarily think it's crucial

if it was Lando versus Max, I think it is. There's a lot more emotion, I think, between, well, obviously on Lando's part, you know, he feels things a lot more. We see that visibly. But with Oscar, he's hard to read. It might mean a hell of a lot to him. But that's the great thing. And that's what the great champions,

the Schumackers of this world in particular come to mind, where you don't know what they're feeling. I know it's one tiny incident. and it was just a case of Oscar getting a better start, but it is big for him to go into the first corner and show that he isn't going to kind of lie down for Maxis Stappen like a lot of other drivers have. I would love to see it, and it's a shame we didn't get to see it during the race,

an actual battle between those two, because we've seen, you know, Lando is an example of how, you know, Max has kind of toyed with him a little bit and it's been difficult for him. When we see that from Oscar, when he's battling, I think we said it before, that even last year, you know,

kind of when he was making those moves and he looked more aggressive, that he seems like that driver that isn't going to be afraid to back out of a move for Max or is going to kind of, you know, he could argue, we even saw it at the final race, in Abu Dhabi last year where he easily could have dived out the way of Max coming through and he was like, well, no, I'm going to take the corner and they collided. And Oscar seems like

one of those drivers that isn't willing to kind of jump out the way for Max has to happen. And that could be massive for the championship. And he has kind of got one over on him here for the win. of course he's driving a much, much better car and was very much the favourite to win. I would disagree about much, much better this weekend. I think Red Bull were a lot closer this year. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I think over the course of the season, he's obviously got the better package. But it's a big moment for Piastri to lead the championship, beat Max in a race where,

yes, it's only the start, but he has gone with. literally wheel to wheel and come out on top because Max had had the penalty. And yeah, it's an amazing, it's amazing what Oscar's doing this year. It looks so mentally strong. He certainly does. And now leads the championship for the first time. Australia will be rejoicing, I'm sure, at the ridiculous time they were probably watching that race.

But before you move on, before you move on, I have just seen. put to me. Christian Horner has printed off a photo of Max Verstappen into turn one, which he believes is proof that Vastappen was ahead of Oscar going into the apex, which, yes, is... It's amazing what a photo can do when it doesn't show you that he was not going to stay on the track. I know, and my first thought to that, even as someone that sat here, wearing a Max Verstappan T-shirt and a Max Verstappen fan,

you see this on Twitter, don't you? Where people screenshot single moments of a battle that aren't a video. And you can kind of prove anything with a screenshot. It doesn't tell you the context because equally you can fast forward that image that Christian Horner has shared with Max still turning left as he's off the track, which shows that he's not made the corner. So you can kind of prove anything with singular screenshots from a battle. What matters is the video. And in my opinion, watching the video, even as a

Max fan, he's not made the corner. So I think the potential confusion, or at least what Red Bull and Horner are arguing, that within the documentation of why the penalty was handed out, they said that Oscar was alongside car number one, Max Verstappen, at the apex. So I'm not sure, I don't think they actually included the fact that Max wasn't going to make the corner. and therefore that's why they are essentially printing out things to be like, well, actually, that's not correct. So I think, you know, that's not the...

Let's get the documentation up, Tommy. Let's just do it. And one thing as well is I've also just seen that... Oh no, sorry, that's about Max. But didn't Max say that Oscar was never making the corner, but then he did make the corner? So I've got the documentation based on the driver's standards,

guidelines, it was therefore Car 81's corner, and this was due to the fact that Car 81 was alongside Car 1 at the apex. Car 1 then left the track and gained a lasting advantage. So it was nothing about Max going in too hot and that's the reason to the penalty.

Oh, so they believe Car 81 left the track, which is Oscar? No, no, no. That's not what I said. It was therefore Car 81's corner and Car 1 then left the track and gained a lasting advantage that was not given back. He sailed in front of Car 81 and sought to build on the advantage.

So the fact that the reason that they've put there, they haven't said about Max essentially just yeating it into term one and hoping for the best and not being able to stay on the track. So that's why Red Bull and Horner are arguing it. And fair play. If they see that's the reason and they go, well, no, I have it printed out. It says it right here.

He was ahead. So no wonder they are trying to say something about this, not that anything can happen from it. But strange that the FIA didn't touch upon that. Yeah, it is, it is, but I'm still just adamant that if you watch the video, Max doesn't make the corner, so I don't really get... No, I know, but the FIA didn't mention that, so that's the problem here. Oh, right, so it's the wording of...

Oh, okay. So they've given a penalty and not explained the penalty properly. Yeah, they've given a penalty because Max left the track and that they were side by side. and Rebel are going, well, no, he was ahead, as you can see by this screenshot here. That's why they're arguing. All right, so they're arguing the wording of the penalty. Essentially, yeah. I don't know how far that will.

It's a stretch. It's a stretch. We'll see. Because, yeah, there genuinely is a part that they've just left out for some reason, the stewards. But here we are. Right, let's move on now. We've spoken enough about term one lap one,

and it's almost 30 minutes into the podcast. My most memorable moment, thanks for asking Tommy, is Charles Leclair's amazing race. Oh, baby. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I knew it was coming eventually. And P3 is what 2025 Matt has to enjoy as a sensational, scintillating performance from Charles LeCler. Question from P1, Patreon member, TVR driver. How was Charles able to make his tyres last so long? Only Charles knows. He was the tire whisperer. But what Ferrari did and what Charles did was exactly the right decision. The mediums were the best tire out of the two. the hard some of the drivers out there were struggling with and they just carried on as soon as he had some clean air he pushed harder

started putting PB sectors in PB laps and he wasn't far off the drivers behind him on fresh tyres and the Oscars and the Maxes of this world on hard fresh tyres well maybe three four tenths a lap quicker at best so Charles just was really enjoying the clean air and this was proof as to why Max quarter cut

101 and decided to lead is because all the drivers were struggling to to follow, even at sort of two and a half second gaps, they were still having, overheating problems with the tyres and whatnot. So, Charles had a fantastic drive today and one that he finished half a minute ahead of Hamilton. That is something you don't ever really say when you speak about Hamilton and his performances in Formula One. But you just got to say that Charles delivered and executed on his race to perfection.

He genuinely couldn't have done anymore. I know that Shal likes to say that sometimes, but I think this is one of those that he finished eight seconds off the lead in a Ferrari that is not there. Yeah, I'm going to sound like the LeClaire fan boy now. But yeah, it was an amazing race from... Come to the Shal LeClaire fan club for a couple of minutes. It was an amazing race from Shal and it was that reminder that give him the car one day

to challenge and he could be up there as well. because he's got the speed. We know that. And yeah, the fact that he can deliver on the tyres, of course, we go back to Monza last year, where he made that one-stop work. Also, watching him do that, watching him do that,

I kind of made me think, what if we did see him do that one-stop in Bahrain that he really wanted to do and how differently the race would have gone there? Could he have eeked it out? but he's shown so many times that he is a driver very comfortable on tyres and can make them work and yeah just a brilliant race from from charl to you know even with lando norris behind him and catching up on you know lando on the medium tires i said it in the watchalong when

there's a handful of laps to go who's going to get the podium i said lando because he was he was catching up but Charles did I say? You said, Charles LeClair. And it was very, it was very close in the end, but it was didn't even get in the DRS, my friend. No, he didn't.

He was like 1.1 at one point. I said about Charles LeClair, how impressive he was, Suzuki, where he kind of got the most out of the car. And it was kind of a much more what I expect from him. This was another step further of a kind of cementing that

he is Ferrari's, you know, top driver the one that's comfortable in the car. And yeah, it's a real shame that the car's not there because I think he could be involved as well. It's a shame to see Ferrari not quite there because we could be having an amazing battle and it max is kind of somehow hanging on to the two McLaren's in the championship. But you've got a great driver in Charler-laire that just, you know, if he had a good car, could be challenging up there as well.

It's worth saying actually and we didn't probably realize you know this at the time but Hamilton and yes he was lacking pace but his brilliant racecraft against Lando and perhaps you could almost say you know Lando should have learned after the first lap that two-lap battle I think secured

Charlotte Clare the podium because without that that bit of time lost was probably the difference it was one second at one point as we mentioned between Leclair and Norris, and if he was in DRS, I think LeClair would have struggled. So thank you, Hamilton.

Appreciate you getting LeClaire the podium. I will say that. But it is a bit of a mystery as to why Hamilton is so far off because the race is usually where he comes alive. There's obviously some questionable quotes coming out from him about needing a brain transplant for essentially how to adapt to the Ferrari car this year.

And it is a Hamilton that, we've not really, I know we've seen it over the last few years, but over the course of his career, he's always backed himself. And it is weird to see this self-doubt come in over these last few years about, you know, maybe I've not got it anymore, this, that and the other. And his adaptability is something that's been, that he always, because he's one over so many different eras, isn't it? Yeah, exactly.

That has been one of his biggest strengths, if not his biggest in his whole career, that he's been able to go through so many different regulation changes and still end up winning but I know it's the you know there's also the additional challenge of the Ferrari but he's not jilled with these new regulations as much as he and whether whether we get into 26 and it's something that suits him more again maybe but yeah it was a very difficult race for Hamilton struggling on his tires as well and yeah he just wasn't working for him yeah he said I was miles off pace wise. There's not really anything to take from these last three weeks other than that I'm slow. So yeah, tough to see. Tough to see because the China sprint was an awesome thing to see.

And will that be one of the only high moments to see from Hamilton this year? I would like to say no. He just needs to get on top of it. Let's move on now. P.1-Patry member Lumixion. Was Ghazley too ambitious to go around the outside of Yuki or just a little unlucky? We're back to lap one, where of course it was Sonoda and Gasly. This one is the absolute definition of a racing incident. Now, I will say that Gasley, and just like you said Limoxion in the question, he was very ambitious. I think he's kind of expecting Sonoda to perhaps not have his nose in once he sees the move around the outside. Don't get me wrong. If he pulled that off, wow, yes please.

That is a tasty, tasty overtake. But he's put himself at risk of Sonoda even slightly understeering into him. And that's exactly what happened. And they're both out of the race. It was unlucky for Yuki. Of course, in hindsight, he's probably thinking, oh, I should just let him go. But in that moment, Ghazly sort of appeared on his outside very late, then tried to swing it around the outside.

So for me, it's more on Ghazley as to who. the incident, but I don't think there's any penalties or anything like that to be dished out because it was a racing incident. I don't agree that Yuki Saneda understood. I'm watching it back and I'm not blaming Gasly. I'm just saying that he, Gasly puts himself at risk of Sonoda even remotely understood. I'm saying that he's putting himself in that scenario. Yeah.

And for Gazley, Yuki Snowder didn't even understand and still hit him, which for, for me is a case of, I'm not saying Gassely should have got a penalty and it's absolutely reckless. I do think it is a racing incident, but it is a big risk. You know, he's kind of almost hoping that Yuki Sonoda just disappears because when you watch Yuki Sonoda's onboard in particular, he is just driving around the corner and the nature of the circuit, the way that the kind of turns. twist ironically and this very ironically based on every conversation we've had up until this point on this podcast, Ghazley should probably have just bailed onto the runoff and had that

taken that free pass and gone, okay, because that's what it's there for. But he was punished because he dared to stay on the racetrack. And with these massively wide cars and tight corners, he kind of tried to try to make the move keep kind of all his his two wheels on the track see why he went for it and yeah unfortunate

and I think both of them I think I saw Gassley say in fact yeah I've got the quote here that I know Yuki's intentions I know him very well it's just an unfortunate outcome there's nothing they're besties aren't they as well let's not forget about that but yeah it's not something to point fingers out really

apart from Gassley trying to get number one overtake of the year and sadly failing. Next question. At Rifkipen, was that the most awkward call-down room in recent memory? I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Max and Oscar both knew what was coming in those highlights, which was the first corner incident. And Oscar just like, let's have a chat, shall. Let's have a chat about things until it's gone.

Okay, all right. Let's react to the rest now. And that's kind of how it felt Because then we had a few Ows and ahs And as we usually do with the cool down room But it comes back to Max Fuming

Steam coming out of his ears During that cool down room Didn't say much Even to the drivers really You know he's just very Very sort of Short with his with his conversations But yes it was

It was pretty awkward Thankfully Shal there As sort of like this golden retrievers Kind of just You know Good sort of happy Happy lovely energy in there that maybe simmered it slightly.

But it's not as if there's any beef between Oscar and Max. It was literally just Max raging and that caused the dynamic to be, yeah, pretty awkward. Yeah,

no beef between Oscar and Max yet. We'll see how that develops during the season. Because I could see there being more potentially. But it was a very awkward cool down room. We used to seeing

kind of, you know, you had the staff been dominating for so many years. and the joke of the Matt's Just Happened podcast, and then having the two McLaren drivers to get on really well, and it was such a friendly dynamic all the time that we've kind of associated the cool-down room

with being just a place where it's almost like mates down the pub watching the Formula One and having banter. And now you've actually seen a driver that is annoyed because Max and Charlotte, are normally the ones that are so chatty together and have a good laugh with each other. Max being so annoyed, yeah, made that whole situation quite frosty

and it was strange to watch a cool-down room for what felt like the first time in ages where it wasn't silly moments and constant laughter. It was just very, very awkward. Because usually Max is the one watching along going, oh, that's a big load. Yeah, and kind of laughing away.

But he was just sat there, just staring at the screen, ready to go home but yes it was it was pretty pretty bad Max almost kind of gave a little smile or like a shocked face to the Bortoletto moment where he almost

crashed into Alonzo which was insane by the way and don't forget as well with that for those you don't know is that Fernando Alonzo is Gabriel Borsoletto's manager so that makes things even even more spicy with that it's funny I think there was

something about the fact that Alonzo won't give him dinner or something or he won't have dinner tonight, which is quite funny. But my God. Like he's just dad. That was almost. And for those of you that watch along with us to the races, we're live on YouTube and Twitch every single race weekend.

We were literally saying, this was when Charlotte Claire was leading. All we needed was a cheeky little safety car, cheeky little red flag, and Charlotte Claire's right in there and could win the race. And it was almost like a jump cut to that. that happening. It was just utterly bizarre. We both shrieked as we saw it. I'm sure a lot of you watching at home

sat back in your seats when it happened. But yes, thankfully they got away with it unscathed. Next question, RSPB-25. Should McLaren now make Oscar the number one driver? He's leading the championship, making less mistakes and seems to have more consistency. No.

They are 10 points separated in the driver's championship. with only what five races down. Is that how many we've had? Five in a sprint. Yeah. Five in a sprint. No, McLaren will not make either of them number one drivers.

I guess in a weird way for Zach Brown, of course he'd love to have one of his drivers just run away with the championship, but you have like Oscar in Australia, make that mistake. And it doesn't feel like the two McLaren drivers have been together on track to have any sort of controversial moments whatsoever.

You know, Lando having difficult qualified. Oscars winning three races quite comfortably. It's not a question that we're really asking right now because there isn't this case of them both battling and sort of really affecting each other's championship. It's been an odd dynamic so far, considering they are in the fastest team. It has been very odd.

You know, we've not had that Hamilton-Rosburgh moment. And look, should they kind of make Oscar number one? I mean, at the moment, he's not needed it because he is just kind of, he's been the number one driver by just being the one that's delivering victories while Lando's been the one kind of making a lot of errors and now we've seen Oscar take that championship lead. McLaren will never, I think, do it until it's, at this moment, they're kind of fine doing it and kind of letting them. race and they won't want to not let Norris have a chance at the championship as well. That being said, they should be a long way ahead.

And yeah, Max is 12 points behind after five races and a sprint. And the championship is definitely going the way that we've kind of said where at the moment they're kind of safe and it's fine because they've got the car advantage and it looks like Max is just kind of hanging on and not quite there yet but I do wonder when we look back that could it be the downfall of McLaren when if Red Bull do sort out or if this becomes a more regular thing

where we're going to see what a Red Bull more like they were in Japan and this race where Max can fight for wins and things that are they going to have to maybe be a bit more ruthless if Max starts fighting at the front because that is the thing that we said at the start of this year that they could end up taking points off each other and Max is just going to pick up the results. So at the moment they're kind of fine. I just don't think McLaren have it in them. They don't. They won't. They never will. They just want to be liked. Unless Oscar is 60 points down the road ahead of Lando, then I think they would, it's

funny, right? Because it's not just Oscar, it's Mark Weber as well, who I think is an incredible person to have in your corner constantly keeping that team honest and asking questions at all times. Does Lando have the same person or team going at McLaren going, no, he's the number one, he needs to be this, that and the other? I don't think so because I think if you put the same scenario where, say, Oscar is 60 points ahead of Lando, I think that the McLaren then shift towards Oscar for the championship. The other way around, I think Mark Weber would, I don't know, I think he would go to the ends of the earth

to make sure that never happens. Even, you know, look at last year. Lando was trying to catch Max in the championship. And there still... Oscar wasn't there and he was fighting them. Yeah, exactly. So it is more about the team as well. And I just, yeah, I don't think McLaren have it in them to do them.

that unless, as I say, there is a massive points difference between them. And it's going to play into Max's hands. When we have this change in Spain, will that change the pecking order ever so slightly? Will that bring McLaren back to what? We don't know just yet. But this might well be the phase in the season that we talk about at the end of the year, where we go, McLaren should have gained 75 points on everybody else and be home and dry, but they're not.

And Max is, what, 12 points behind Piastries, two points behind Lando at the moment. I think Max is going to be laughing once he's over this one about the fact he is still somewhere there. I think me included and every other Maxxapun fan. I know he's dominated for so many years and you kind of used to him leading the championship and always being on top of the championship. But if you'd have given me this

after five races and a sprint, based on the pace that we saw from McLaren after that first lap in a dry qualifying in Australia when they were absolutely miles ahead and you told me that within five races and a sprint max would be two points behind Lando and another, and it's another only 10 to Oscar. You'd have taken it every day of the week.

I'd have taken him being 20 points behind at this stage, never mind 12. And this is why he's so angry as well. Max knows that every single point is going to count in this one and that's probably another level to this where he could have won the race and he doesn't know when the Red Bull is going to be in that challenging territory against McLaren. It is a fascinating championship. Yes, we haven't had banger after banger which 2025, you know, come on, let's wake up a little bit and have some absolute worldies. But the storylines and the championship, you would have taken this,

wouldn't you. Three drivers 12 points apart. Just sign me up. Sign me up to some bangers now, please. Miami. Oh, wait. Where's a sprint? It's a sprint. So they've got two bites of the show for that one. Okay, let's get into our predictions now and reflect on goodness gracious me what we're coming up with this year. It's 1110 to Tommy currently. So let's go straight to a good surprise where I went for Ollie Berman. And he had a very anonymous race. Where did he even finish? I don't know. 13. P-13.

Goodness gracious me. That is zero points. Indeed. And I went for Fernando Alonzo, hoping he'd bagged that point and he finished 11th again. Oh, that's so tough. Painful. Oh, it's painful. I really feel pain for you right now, mate.

I really do. Okay, let's go to a big flop. I went for Isaac Hadjar and he scored points. So that's great. Yeah. Nice P-10. Hadjah did very well. Williams worked brilliantly together to stop Hadjar coming through.

I love that signs. was sort of saying over the team radio, we've got enough pace in ourselves. We don't need to do this whole DRS games. I disagree. I think Hadjar had signs not given DRS to Albon would have flown through at least Albon, if not signs as well. So I think that was the right call from Williams. Yeah, it was great from Williams.

And a good result from Hadjar. I went for Maxis Tappen, who, yeah, the only poll sitter to not win the race this year. Blah, blah, blah. Get in the bin. Get directly. in the bin. Although, yeah, it's definitely not a point. Pole position. Went for Charlotte Claire.

For Charlotte Claire, that didn't happen. Am I surprised? Not really. I also went for Charlotte Claire. Weirdly, yeah, it was kind of, he was nowhere in qualifying and then he was much better in the race, wasn't he? Certainly was. Let's go to our top three then. In third position, I went for Lando Norris. No. Not quite. Close. Very close. And I went for Charlercler. That's ridiculous. That's really annoyed me, actually.

In second place, I went for Charleclair. I mean, I was going to go for third, but I had to change it, which is ridiculous. I am, from this day fourth, I will not be changed on the third place. And I don't know why I changed the third place. I thought we had to because otherwise we were going to do that for like good surprises and big flops and pole positions. but like the top three, really? When did we ever do that? Why is that now come in? I thought it was because of the McLaren's thing. Well, let's, in true Formula One fashion, let's write a set of regulations for the next one.

And we can explain them in the next predictions. Can I dive around the inside, Tommy, and cut the corner? Can I take the five second penalty? Yeah, I can interrupt your prediction. I was ahead in the predictions. I said mine first. You were ahead at the apex. Well done, Tommy. I'm so happy for you.

But I am slightly aggrieved that that did not come in. But anyway, yes, I went for Charlotte Claire P2, sadly, after being forced off the track. Piastri P2 for me, which was wrong. No. And I went for Pastery P1, which was correct. Well done. So that's actually really annoying. I got first, third and fourth in my top three.

So really upsetting for you. Yeah, thanks Max. And you're like, Max should have got a 20 second penalty. Then you would have locked it in when you were. Yeah, actually, yeah, let's keep that going. I was Orlando, which was wrong. Incorrect. One crazy prediction, mine was wrong after lap one.

Everyone finishes the Saudi Grand Prix. Look, Casley, why did you do that? Without that, that's coming in, but zero points. And mine was wrong after FP2. No red flags all weekend. And yeah, the only, none in the race, but yeah. Oh, I'm doing so bad this year. It's really upsetting.

We even have additional predictions to try and get us more points. And I'm still failing, speaking of, Patreon predictions. So if you want to join our Patreon, you can get extra chat, extra waffle at the end of every race review podcast, as I mentioned earlier. You can get access to the Discord, access to early live show tickets, as well as being able to put in your predictions and be part of this podcast. And you also get preferred questions, as you may have noticed as well, within this podcast. My Patreon prediction was from Key and LR. Max falls to fourth in the championship. No.

Almost went up to second. Oh my God, I've just... And my patron prediction was from Jason SPD. Magnet in your voice. Beats album. And they even held position to make sure it was locked in for me. Appreciate that, Williams. Well done.

They should have swapped. They should have swapped. So that makes it 1311 to you now. Indeed. Good. So two points. clear is Tommy at the top of the standings. Let's go to the family top three where I feel like this one's going to go badly as well because my sister went for third place Lewis Hamilton.

And my mum went for third place Lewis Hamilton, no. In second place my sister went for George Russell. The only one I thought might come in. Nope. My mother went for Charle-Cleur, which not quite close. And in first place, my sister went for your favourite. No. And my mum went for Oscar Piestri, locking in another point, Bellingham dominance, Maybore fans, 4-1. 4-1 to the Bellingham's now. I'm going to have to get someone in with actual will knowledge now.

I'm going to have to enter my family tree, which consists of about four family members and just try and... I need to teach them. I need to be like, right, go for both McLaren's in the top three. I mean, that would have been wrong. That would even got me a three-pointer this week. So it's ridiculous. I can't wait for Alex Jakes to change his name to Alex Skagit.

Gallagher and you're ringing him. There is a 40% chance I would marry him anyway. So yeah, yeah, for sure. Let's get Alex Jackson for my adopted brother. That would be fantastic. Okay, that is that done and pretty much all of it done. We're now going to go over and do our additional Patreon waffle with some of your questions. So look forward to that.

Tommy, what your final thoughts? My final thoughts are, well, last time we did the Patreon waffle, we had like some breaking news. So who knows what's going to happen? Who knows what happens? Maybe maybe during Patreon this time that Christian Horner's picture gets accepted as factual information and Max Lappen has declared the winner or something. Who knows? That would be crazy.

We'll keep an eye on that. But thank you everybody for tuning in and for all the love on the watch alongs as always. We've got a week off now. So look forward to that. But I am running the London Marathon. So please, if you haven't already, get donating. Please donate to the amazing charity

that is Great Ormond Street Hospital. There's a link in our P1 Instagram link tree. So that would be amazing. And also on the top of the YouTube description as well, I'll probably plop it in because it's a week today that I will try and survive 42 kilometres.

And that is it. Thanks, bro. It's you next year. See you soon. Lots of love. Bye! P1 is a stack production and part of the A-cast

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