The Late Braking F1 Podcast - 2023 Brazilian GP Review

Episode Date: November 5, 2023

Sam, Ben and Harry review the 2023 Brazilian GP - and talk through THAT crazy finish to the race. They also review their bold predictions, give their Moment of the Race and discuss their best and worst drivers of the day. 🌎Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here ↣ https://nordvpn.com/lbf1 It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! 👍 FOLLOW us on socials! You can find us on YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok SUPPORT our Patreon for bonus episodes JOIN our Discord community JOIN our F1 Fantasy League BUY our Merch EMAIL us at [e-mail]   & SUBSCRIBE to our podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Hello, and a very warm welcome to the late-breaking F-1 podcast presented by Harry Ead, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking today reviewing the Brazilian Grand Prix, one backs for Stappen, Lando Norris in second place, and Fernando Alonzo holding on to third place

despite a robust challenge from Sergio Perez later on, the two separated at the flag by just half a tenth. That was exciting, Sam. It didn't quite follow suit for the rest of the Grand Prix, but at least we ended well. We started really exciting. We ended really exciting.

Everybody cares about the middle at that point. I don't care. Right? That last lap was enough. I don't mind. Right? I wouldn't have minded something. All right, fair days.

got a problem. Of course he has. No, I mean, yeah, it was, we're getting onto it properly, but it did have a bit of a wave moment where it delivered a bit of a snooze fest and the sprint race was arguably a bit more entertaining. Thank God for Fernando Alonzo in so many senses of the word, thank God. Generally, and also in this today's race. Yes, Spanish Minister for Defence. Spanish legend and a.k.a. sexy man. What are you doing? Sorry, Harry's just rearranging. Fernando Alonzo, just moving the lights around. Arranging your house.

Don't worry. That looks like it's going to fall over. Nah, it'd be fine. Can't wait. 32 minutes in. That's what I'm predicting. It's going to all come crashing down. It's like...

Oh, we've got double lights. What's that one on? Viewers, it's like at this angle. It's like the leaning tower of Pisa in his bedroom. I turn that one off. He hates the big light. I hate the big light. Big light hang of cheek.

I hate it. I'll tell you what. You carry on. Whilst Harry goes and does that, I'll give you a quick run through of what we're going to talk about as soon as Harry's back. Moment of the race submissions coming up a little bit later on. Mercedes and Ferrari, both having a disastrous day, our thoughts on how both of their days unfolded.

A bit on the Alonzo versus Perez battle, of course. We'll start out from Max Verstappen winning the Grand Prix pretty comfortably. I think it was eight seconds at the flag separating himself and Lando Norris, and 34 seconds separating Max Verstappan and Fernando Alonzo in third. All in all, another solid day in the Euro. office for Max Verstappen. We saw Lando Norris did have a sniff of an opportunity to an overtake done very early into the Grand Prix. Sam, would this have changed anything? I mean, we had almost a very similar scenario during the sprint race as well, didn't we, where Lando started, of course,

on poll, Max got in front and McLaren came out and announcing a statement that, yes, they were slightly disappointing in the start speed of Lando, but realistically, they thought that even if Lando did get the perfect start and began in front of Max, at the outright point. of that red bull is so brutally powerful, especially when it gets into DRS range that they don't think they'd have been able to hold off Max Verstappen for long over a full range period. And I think the same could have been said, you know, the same here.

I think that if Landon Norris gets the jump, gets the move down into, you know, the kind of the first lap or whatever when they got that ridiculous start and Askin Martin just dropped like an absolute rock in the sea. And Landon Morris went down the inside. It looked like they could have been a chance for a possibility of a move there.

And, of course, we've got the red flag start, where they could have gone again. I don't think it could last year. I think Landon Norris has proven that the car is now the problem. Landon Norris is out driving absolutely everyone else up and down this grid. He's, you know, running the socks off at McLaren. And unless the car improves, I don't see how Landon Norris can particularly improve his fortunes. He's doing everything he can.

And that's as good as it's going to get. Unless there's a problem with Vastappen or the Red Bull, which happens once in an actual lifetime at the moment, I'm not saying. seeing Landon Norris beat that car on pace, just because the cars are simply not able to go faster than the Red Bulls. So no, I wouldn't be too good as hard. If I'm Norris or McLaren, I think they maximise absolutely every single point of this sprint race weekend that they could have done. They picked up a pole position. They picked up two second places. I generally think that that's as good as it's going to get for them. Yeah, I think they can walk away very happy.

I think the car now needs to be worked on and they come back stronger. it did feel like in the post-race interview Lando Norris was almost saying like yeah this is kind of P1 for me at the moment almost the case of yes Max Verstappen is ahead of me but also there's not really anything I can do about that so I'm treating this as not a win

but almost like the best I can possibly achieve at this point in time he did say at least for now we'll see if that materialises in any way Harry, what were your thoughts? Do you think that if Lando Norris had made that move stick early on in that Grand Prix, anything would have changed in terms of the end result, or at least how the race unfolded? Well, Vastappen may not have been in front for as long,

but he still would have been in the front. At the end, yes. That would have been true. I feel like Lano Nose is living in his Max Vastappen-2020 era at the moment, where he's just on his own. Good shout. He cannot touch the, what I'll have. were the Mercedes,

but now the Red Bull and he's faster than literally everyone else. He's just on his own out there. He's doing, like you say, it's kind of just, he demolished everyone else there today apart from Max,

I think you said this, Ben on a tweet, apart from Max Verstappan, but everyone else was nowhere near it. Everyone that isn't called Max for Staffen. Yeah, so I, yeah, look, it would have, I felt like it would have prolonged

the inevitable and obviously, you know, something might have happened if they had to overtaken and Max had to get back past, but on pace, Vastappen was, it just felt manageable all afternoon. I know it wasn't a massive gap, but it just felt like Vastappen held it there.

I did enjoy, we did enjoy the one lap of battle, and then Vastappen was like, nah. The gap went from being a tenth. To 1.1 seconds in eight corners. He was like, nah, border that now. You've had your fun. Bye-bye.

I'll see you later. Yeah, so it was, you know, enjoy, but while that lasted, but realistically, I don't think there was anything, anything more Norris could have done this afternoon. But on that, I do want to give credit to Max Verstappen as well, because even myself in the point I literally just made, we go on about how good the Red Bull is and how good Max Verstappen is.

I do think a lot of this performance is very much Max Verstappen being the best Max Verstappen could be, because you look at what Perez is doing and Perez is finishing 24 seconds behind Landon-Norris, he's McLaren. He's unable to get Pasca Lonsso in the Asken Martin, which has struggled time and time again. He's not qualifying in the top three or four regularly. You know, he's had one podium since Italy. and that was in a sprint race. And yet Max Verstappen has won what, this was his 17th win this season,

something along those lines, which is downright, naughty, ridiculous, unfathomable. And so I do think that as much as the Red Bull is a very strong car, I do think it is Max Verstappen that is elevating it to be unbeatable, whereas I think, as I've said before,

if there are two Sergio Perez's in that Red Bull team, Landon Norris will have, I think, several race wings on his hands, and I think the battles everywhere will be far closer. So I do think it's for Stappan elevating it above what Norris is currently capable of, rather than simply just the car being the defining factor. I would have been at least intrigued to see how it would have unfolded if Landon Norris had got that move done quite early on. What was fascinating to me was that, and this is crazy to say,

based on where McClarum were at the beginning of this season, We know that they were slow everywhere at the beginning of this season, but particularly in a straight line. That McLaren was rapid in the final sector. Imagine telling McLaren that 15 races ago. They'd probably have said that you were lying. He only just about, Landau Norris this is, only just about got DRS on Max Verstappen down that back straight

and still ended up only a 10th or a 10th and a half behind Verstappen going into turn one. He ate up nearly a second on that back straight. And now I think it is fairly obvious based on what you've already said, where Vastappen opens up that lead to 1.1 seconds very quickly, that Norris was probably using every single part of his battery possible. I mean, I think that's the only explanation there. But yeah, it would have been interesting to see because what does Vestappen do at that point?

If you can get past almost straight away again, then, you know, it doesn't really matter. the same sort of race unfolds. But what would have been intriguing is if Vastappen at least immediately couldn't get past Lando Norris. Does he try the undercut? Does he go longer? I think ultimately Vastappen would have got him either way, whether he went for that undercut or whether he went for the sort of optimum strategy.

I think Vastappen had the pace regardless. But if he couldn't get passed initially, I don't know. That would have been somewhat interesting to see how the team. would have handled that situation because we saw with plenty of drivers who went for undercuts quite early on didn't really pay off. I think Ocon might be coming in for his eighth stop about now. Seems about time. Why so many stops? Man loves the pits. Why? It just didn't work for him, right? He came in too early. So if Vastappan had been baited into something like that, I don't know how it would have ended up exactly. Lando Norris has referenced, finished,

26 seconds clear of everyone who wasn't named Max Verstappen. He had a full pit stop on absolutely everyone in that field apart from the Red Bull driver out in front. I mentioned this in the sprint review yesterday that Landon Norris and Max Verstappen at least this weekend seemed to be

just completely clear of everyone else. Is Lando Norris making a case to say that he's the second best driver in this sport? I think making a case is the correct phrase. I think if you would come out and say he's definitely the second best driver in this sport, I think you might have been a little bit too audacious. But he is well and truly comfortably in that conversation for the second best driver currently on form in this sport. I think it might be a little bit unfair to look past Lewis Hamilton after the last few Grand Prix.

I think Brazil was more an anomaly rather than the overall form of both where the Mercedes car is and what Lewis Hamilton is capable of. And I think this season, he is still being outright the second best driver across this whole season. But in raw speed, in the ability that Lando is showing, yes, he could be up there. I think Lando is lacking consistency and being able to bring it home in under pressure situations. We saw that in Qatar. We've seen it in Mexico. And we saw it a bit in the USGP as well with that tire management situation that was going on.

I just think that Lando is well on his way to being a world beater. He could be one of those drivers that is essentially a multiple-time world champion in the waiting, but he's unfortunately sat behind one of the all-time greats in Max Verstappen, and that might just be part of his devastating prowess that he has to go through. But I do think that if you were to say, and if I want to turn around and go, I think Landon Norris is the second best driver right now in Formula One, I wouldn't be angry at them. I would listen, I'll have a conversation with him instead of just shooting them down.

The good news for Lando Norris is that according to Harry Ead's timelines, Lando Norris will be beating Max Verstappen at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix next year for his first title in definitely not controversial circumstances. Did I say that? Well, no, you just said that Norris was in his 2020 Vastappen. Oh, I see. Oh, right. Yeah, yeah. Next year's going to be good for him. If we get that next year, I'm buzzing.

That'd be hilarious. Bring that on. I am buzzing. What were your thoughts on that question, Harry? Do you think it's too early to say something like that? Or do you think he is making the case? He's certainly making a case for this. But I guess my only problem with Norris currently are just a few little errors.

Two hiccups. That corrected. Some unlucky. Some are as own making. But there's no denying at least the past few races. He's, yeah, he's been the second best. Hamilton, as you say, probably has a case for, the year itself only really,

I mean, today was pretty poor, but the Mercedes was a tractor. Yeah, if Russell was flying high and Hamilton was dragging it back, then I'd say this is on Hamilton, but the car clearly was a dog. Qatar, obviously not great. But apart from that,

Hamilton's had a pretty stellar year. So for the entire year, you might say Hamilton Pips, Norris on this occasion, but I think there's no denying that in his current form, minus hiccups. Norris is making a case for, runner up. I think that's the frustrating thing with Land.

Every time there is something good, there might be a little sprinkling of something frustrating, like the bad qualifying in Mexico was his fault. He then displayed a brilliant performance could bring it back, but it could have been so much more. I mean, he was relatively lucky today,

and it wasn't a horrendous qualifying because it was top 10, but he was relatively lucky today of the carnage at the start and then ending up P2 from all of that. I'm not saying it would have made the end result different, but he had way less work to do. Sorry, he probably wouldn't have got,

B-2 with a clean start though, right? I agree. I think the crash. He did was independent of the stuff happening behind. Yeah, I think he got a white star. No, I, yeah, sorry, I didn't really mean the crashing behind, like, the two Astor Martins couldn't start the race, apparently. I don't know. Anyway, it's a pretty, it's a pretty weak, weak argument to say that it's been a bad weekend

for him, but apart from that, it's been, it's been great. Yeah, I, I tend to think, I agree with what both of you said there in that, as a season as a whole and with a few issues popping up here and there, it's difficult to say that Landon Norris is outright, the second best driver in this sport. But if you were to say to me, here's 20 drivers, everything is going to go right for all 20. What order are you putting them in? He might be second, because when everything is going right for Landon Norris, he is very difficult to stop. And I think you'd probably put Hamilton and LeCler in that conversation as well in that when everything's going well for them, they just have this groove. But Landon

is definitely amongst that group too. Today was one such occasion. And yeah, to just mention the point again, take away Max Verstappen from that Grand Prix and Lando Norris has a race win by 25 seconds. Like that should tell you everything you need to know about how good he was out there. I do, just on that, Ben, about that group.

I do think that currently Norris elevating himself above Russell, which is interesting considering obviously they came up in the same year from F2. And in that period, Russell won the F2 championship and Norris came as of a runner up. but I do currently think that Norris is the more complete driver of the two. Having said that Russell did absolutely mug him off yesterday with an overtake on the opening lap. He did.

But I think the result today flips it back and reverses it. Tractor. And also, didn't Norris absolutely mug off Russell in Mexico as well? Yeah, no, I'm just saying. Swings around. I think it's a fair argument. Yeah, I know we mentioned this in the preview, but a year can be a long. time and a year since George Russell took that first victory and what happened out there today,

it's two different worlds. Driver of the day, should we go with that? Yes, let's do it. The verdict is in. You're the driver of the page. You're the driver of the day. You're good at driving. It's so hard not to sing along to those.

It's just catchy. Speaking of, we had a review come through very recently to say. say that someone, and I can't remember your name off the top of my head, apologies, but someone gave us a very nice review that said that the problem is the jingles and how you accidentally start singing them in places where you shouldn't. And I think it was this one that they accidentally started going, You're good at driving in an office or something like that. I like that.

Sam, what have you got for driver today? I'm just going straight in, Big Fernando. as much as Max Verstappen was dominant Lano Norriski, absolutely fantastic at work. That performance, that Ashton Martin that's been flailing, the fact that he kept so many drivers at bay, the defence against Sergio Perez, the last gasp attack down the start, finish straight, you know, that held him off was phenomenal.

He also, I know this doesn't really count for anything, but he also put on a show, and he's such a showman, and I love that. I love that he's just exciting, and you just get that from Fernando. So, yeah, big up, Fernando is my driver of day by a country mile also. I know that everyone loves him.

I am sick of seeing Landon Norris from every driver of the day vote on the telly. Stop it. Mix it up, baby. Harry? I have to agree with Sam. Lovely. I mean, I know I am head of the fan club, but

that fence was filthy. Oh! Filth. Pure filth. Pure strategic filth. Correct. And I really enjoyed that. he spent all of the infield of that lap

recharging his batteries just to use him on the main straight and did that for about 20 laps. Like Sergio, mate. Get it done. Learn from that. Get it done. Yeah, I know it's obviously an exciting finish

but I think the performance goes back further than that for me. It's the defence itself. Even in that towards the end of that second stint where Sergio was closed up to him and then he was like, oh no, can't get a pass. So they tried to undercut him. Yeah.

I know, Alonzo. Who under? Yeah, Alonso putting first. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, Alonzo for me, Norris and Vest happen, clear nominations there as well. Also, shall tell. Yeah.

Yeah, Gazzley. And little Yuki. Yuki Pooke Pooze. Yeah, Gazley. What? He forgot he was driving an Alpine. P-7. I know.

Just mugging off the Sagi's. Yeah. Crazy times. I think it's going to, it's got to be one of the top three, basically. Do you remember like when this award was introduced and it was known as the Max Verstappen Award? Yes. And he got it so frequently, similar to what is happening with Lando Norris right now, he got it so frequently and just fast forward a number of years.

And here we are in 2023. Vostappen keeps winning races by such a massive margin and not getting in the top three because we're just so used to his dominance. But we shouldn't be. He's still performing brilliantly out there. So yeah, Norris, Vastappen or Alonzo take your pick. They've kind of got different reasons as to why you'd pick them. I will go for Vastappan.

He won a race and he won it really comfortably. Well done, Seth. I'm sure Maxi Vestap is quite happy to never win driver of the day if he keeps winning the real race. Valid. I think he's still out there for the cryptocurrency overtaking award. When will someone pass me so I can win that one and overtake them back? He's not really poorly in that championship.

He needs to work on that. What about worst driver of the day? this song's really tricky I think play the jingle mate oh I forget that they're coming Get in the bin bin bin bin bin Where's driver of the day And bum bum bum

Where's driver of the day You suck at driving I can sing you my statement This bit's really tricky actually Generally because everyone crashed And I genuinely think that a lot of the crashing Wasn't really anyone's fault Also can we just

shout out Paul Ricardo for getting absolutely belting in the back by that tire. I was just trying to mind his own business. Man thought he'd avoided a crash and then the tire was like, no. No, you will also suffer. One good result this season. No more. No more for you, Ozzy man. Headlines in Australia, Ozeman gets hit by rubber. I don't really know because I think everyone's almost got a bit of a valid excuse.

I guess Eskabang Ocon maybe deserves a bit of a shout because, you know, the strategy was poor. he couldn't work it out like his teammate did. I think the Mercedes guys had more of a car problem than they did a driver problem. Carlos Sikes, the Ferrari was a great. Oscar Piastri, he's not been good all weekend, but he also got absolutely rear-ended by the hear-ended by the horse when it was catapulting off by Williams.

It's just not an easy selection this time out, I don't think. Even Lansdroll was quite good. You know? Hey, Landstrol was six seconds behind Alonzo who's getting unanimous votes for driver of the day. Exactly. Stroll was good. And he brought home very solid points, especially after, you know, he qualified what third and finished fifth? And that Aster Martin?

Really, really good. This is a harsh one. I am going to give it to Wock on simply because the cars were working on both ends. The strategy can pay off for him, which I think the driver has influence on and his teammate properly beat him. But I'm saying that with a caveat that I think that's harsh. Yeah, fair. I don't think it's harsh. Man was slow.

Okay, good. Yeah, I, do you remember that early DRS train where I, everyone was behind Lewis Hamilton? Yes. And then, and then it was Esteban Ockon just like 1.5 seconds back. It's like, why can't you keep up? Everyone else can. He was really slow. Why can't you keep up?

Do you, can you please start Laplace at some point? You are making me look really stupid at this point. Like, it starts at race 100. Let's go with that. Yeah, I've got to be able to. Yeah, I've got Ockon. The other contender from my side was Yuki Sonoda. I thought he had a poor race in that he made a mistake on lap one, which cost him a position.

He then made another mistake, which cost him a position to Valdry Bottas a little bit later on. Both of those completely conflicted. I actually think that Alphi Tauri had the pace to finish a couple of positions ahead of where he did. I think he could have beaten Lewis Hamilton. I think he also could have beaten Pierre Gasly. I think he should have been competing with Carlos Sines for P6 based on where I think that Alphatari should have been. in and actually where I think Daniel Ricardo would have been if he didn't have that incident,

that unfortunate incident on lap one. But I am going to give it to Ocon because he was slow. Yuki's just got to work out these silly little mistakes, isn't he? The raw pace is there on the day at the moment, but he just keeps running off the road. We were watching the timing, weren't we? And all of a sudden, Bottas went past him,

and then it was a three-second gap to Bottas. We're thinking out, what's happened here then? Just crowed off the road. This silly bugger. Yeah, almost lost out to sergeant as well. Oh, Sergeant one place away from points. That is gutting. Just another retirement needed.

Oh dear. Hey, US GP. He needed two retirements at day. He only needs one today. That's so true. And, you know, Las Vegas, in Longest Straits. Check those blanks.

Check those blanks. Harry, got any thoughts? I, for the sake of variety, we'll give it to UK because you shouldn't fall off the road. Fair. Right. Good point that. That is very fair.

I thought I was watching Sam in season one of the breaking online recently. I don't need to be dodging those, that shade right now. That's a niche reference. I don't need to be dodging that insult. Right now, I've probably lost the bowl predictions confirmed.

I don't need you throwing that at me, Ben, dragging up seven years ago. It's so funny because that infield, infield bit now is now, they've put, like, where people can go. Yeah. So you can't even do it. Sam was driving around there,

lots of time again. It's just driving around. Folks, go find it. I went on a mission to explore the hole infield section. Oh, it's not YouTube's at my. Yeah, I'll go for Yuki because, as I said, I think that they could have had a better result. I know Ricardo was hampered by tyre, but I think Alphitari probably will walk away from this weekend and go, that didn't go that well.

Can I ask a question? No. Okay, good. Let's move on. That was your question. Shut up, you old man. With red flags, why is the rule not followed much as like the safety car where lapped cars can come back round. to the lap that is actually the racing lap?

Banta. Banta. F1 banter. Like, honestly, what's the point to start them a lap down? Everything else gets repaired. You can fix your car, change your tyres,

you can do whatever you want, but you can't get back on the lead lap. That doesn't make any sense to me. I get, what happens if, I don't know, someone re-enters a race after they retired like 10 laps ago, can they just go back onto the lead lap?

Well, isn't the rule that if you get out of the car, around the track that you're removed from the race. I don't know. But banter, I think, is the reason. Look at the documents. It does say banter. Frederick Ian Anderson.

Rule 19.3. Now it seems like a good time to go for our first break. We'll do big brain strategy a little bit later on in the show. On the other side, we'll be discussing Fernando Alonzo and Sergio Perez's epic battle to the line. Woo-hoo. I haven't thought of one. You've got a bit more time down, mate.

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Fernando Alonso claiming the podium by 0.05 seconds. It was a very exciting finale. I was half expecting them to just stay on board with Max Verstappen as he went round his in lap. Oh, my gosh. We were screaming at the telly. You can go and see it on our Instagram or our TikTok. We were screaming at him. Sam, where do you land on the discussion of is this.

brilliance from Fernando Alonzo, is this disappointing in any way from Sergio Perez or is it about a both? I think you've nailed it on the head in that go there. It's a little bit of both. I think we saw the combination of Sergio Perez not having that final hand in his game. You know, he can't play that final card where he can make a ruthless overtake and get the job done and pull away. And Sergio Perez's strengths are very much, let me sit in clean air, let me run these tires until they die. And I will nurse them all the way home and he's able to pull out a very strong race when he's just left to his own devices and no one else is around him. But when it comes to, you know, attacking, especially, defending not so much but attacking, he historically can't seem, much like Valkyri

Bottas a little bit, can't seem to get the job done when it matters on track. And I think it's cost him here again, you know, he got that move done. And you heard Fernando Alonso in the post-race interview going, that's it, podium's gone. And then he went, ah, You broke slightly too late into turn one. It's on again. I've got you. And he knew that and that's the difference between the two. Fernando Alonkso has this instinct in him of,

you've made a slight mistake. I can make an overtake work immediately. And, you know, there was no hesitation, no dilly-dallying around. He put the car in the right place, lined it up perfectly. And he was ruthless in that overtake back on Sergio Perez to pick up the podium again. in a car that is, in theory, much more inferior than the one he's battered against. And I think that, Fernando Alonso is not only a bit of a racing god,

as we like to give him the credit for, the man can overtake, the man strategically is 10 years ahead of every single other person on that racetrack. But when you then pair that up against Sergio Perez, who mentally is on a bit of a downer, I think, morale-wise, he's struggling. He wants a clean and easy result. He's had, as we said, one podium since Italy. He's trying to pick up those regular approaches,

She's a regular appearance rather on that poeam and results at the top of the end of the table. When you're dealing with Fernando Aloncso, who is hungry for a pogrom and hasn't had one since Zangvore, that combination of those two resulting Fernando Alonso winning. And I just think that Sergio Perez needs to be more ruthless. I don't think he's got the final cut-through approach

to make it work for himself when it comes to taking what he needs last minute. So, yeah, I think there's a bit of both. I think that against some other drivers, Sergei might have been able to get it done, but against Fernando, No, no, no, no, no. All your thoughts on it, Harry?

I think my thoughts are that I'm in love with Fernando Alonzo. Yeah, we've known that since 2007. Yeah, but I want to marry him and have his children. That's not new either. Yeah, it's, you could just, I don't know, when you were watching that battle, and Sergio was cruising up to the back of him, and I was thinking, oh, well, this is going to be pretty easy.

But when he cruised up to the back of him both times, and then the gap just stopped. Like it didn't move. And even actually towards the end of that second state, it opened up again. I was, you were like, oh,

this is going to be tasty. And yeah, it's a, I think Perez will walk away from the, that's a disappointment for Perez. I don't, everyone will think we hate Paris. I think Perez has had a decent weekend this weekend.

But you've got to look at the car he's in. Not Red Bull's most dominant weekend, I don't think. but he had the pace to be on the podium today, and he didn't. And I think that's going to be at this point. But having said that, I think if it had been, you know,

90% of any of the grid that wasn't either, you know, the Stapper and Alonzo Hamilton, then he'd have got past. And he didn't because Alonzo's a god. Yeah, I think his defense was insane. And even just the, the mentality of just not giving up, because when Perez got past, you thought, oh, well.

A lot of drivers, you see the gap open up massively immediately. But he stayed on him. If it had been more laps of the race, we may not have got there, but he stayed on him for that lap. And then as we came back around to the start, finish rate, sort of pressured him into that mistake, as you mentioned, into term one, which just opened up the gap for Alonso. And for Perez, that's probably going to be the one that hurts the most, not the fact they couldn't get past for 20 laps, is to the fact they did get past.

and then misjudged it. Yeah, misjudged it. And you do not give Fernando Alonzo another chance to get back in front of you because he will take it. I think what is also very frustrating for Sergio Perez is one of Red Bull's biggest strengths is, including Max Verstappen, is their ability to use DRS to their advantage. And whilst I think that advantage has been a little bit minimized of the last few Grand Prix, you know, Interlagos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, the track here has essentially two proper places for overtaking. It's down into turn one and it's down into turn four. And both of those are often

fueled by DRS, which compliments Red Bull massively. And I just think that Sergio Prey's time and time again was running different lines to everyone else going into Junsal, the penultimate corner. And it just wasn't setting him up for a proper run down to time. And he didn't learn. Yeah, how many times you have to look at the lines Alonzo is taking through? And you're losing time up to the DRS detection point. And those extra tense that you're losing are enough to then not catch the car going in the first turn to the Sennaresces. And I just think 71 times we've gone through this part of the track and you're still not able to rectify the little bit of time that you're losing,

which is enough to stop you getting the overtake done. And again, that is what separates the elite from someone like Sergio Perez who is just very good at what they're doing. So I do think it's disappointing. I do think the Red Bull car, driven by, again, if it was two Max and Stappans, will have got the job done comfortably. there are some elite drivers in F1 who each have their own strengths

and occasionally weaknesses as well I genuinely don't know if any other driver on that grid would have kept P3 other than Fernando Alonzo I don't know if there's one other driver that would have maybe Max Verstappan I don't think honestly I don't think Lewis Hamilton

keeps that position and that's not to say that I think Fernando Alonzo is even a better driver than Lewis Hamilton but in terms of of their strengths and weaknesses, this played into exactly what Fernando Alonso at this point in his career is brilliant, which is racing the driver, which is sometimes something you need to do. You know, you had examples of Max Verstapp and Lando Norris today. We're very much racing, not racing themselves, but almost like what is the optimum, what is the optimum race time I can finish with? What is the lowest possible time I can get to the end of the end of the race?

Alonzo was driving a different way and that Fernando Alonzo didn't necessarily cared where he was going to finish in terms of time, all that he cared about was, is it ahead of Sergio Perez or not? Which is exactly what he needed to do. And I think he was brilliant in his defence. What we often saw going through that, through the SnerS is, is those drivers that committed to being overtaken as early as possible often played it the best in that as soon as Alonzo realized Perez, had a sniff of an opportunity to go up the inside of him. Alonzo immediately bailed. He went, right, he can go past here.

I don't care. I'm now going to get him back at the next opportunity. We saw with other drivers, and I was quite critical of Daniel Ricardo in the sprint race, Ricardo on a few occasions, tried to hang it around the outside of that first corner, and it just logically doesn't make sense to try that. It is far better to do what Alonzo did, which is surrender the position, knowing you're going to give yourself the opportunity to get it back 20 seconds later. I think Alonso played it absolutely perfectly.

From Perez's perspective, I think he can be, I don't know if he can be content. I think he was, I agree with you, Harry. I think he was all right out there today. And I think he'll be annoyed in that the exact move that he tried to pull off on Alonzo today is exactly what he did yesterday to George Russell. But he had the opportunity to overtake George Russell once. yesterday, didn't work, came back the second time, learned from his mistake, and got the job done. Now, admittedly, Alonzo is faster today than what Russell was yesterday, but all he needed to do

was a carbon copy of that. And for whatever reason, to your points, he couldn't learn from the previous attempts to make that work. I think he was pace-wise pretty good out there. And I think he probably was the third fastest driver. I remember saying yesterday, I think that's where he he probably should end up. Alonso had solid pace, but Perez definitely had enough to get P3. I don't think he's going to be outright disappointed. He has extended that advantage over Lewis Hamilton.

That's plus eight points in his favour as a result of today. Could it have been more? Yeah, I think he probably could have been. In terms of Aston Martin looking at them, because they have had a dire time as of late. I know we spoke about this in the preview episode about how poor their performances have been in the last six Grand Prix or so.

so, but here, 25 points going their way with 15 coming from Alonzo and 10 coming from Stroth. How encouraging is that result, Sam, given their recent struggles? I think it's incredibly encouraging, but at the same time, it's so, so disheartening, and I'm going to go into detail why, the development that Ascom Martin saw last season, where they rapidly started picking up results at the back end of the season, where they went from being the eighth, seventh, slowest team on a regular occasion to, from pretty much, you know, Zangvo, Italy last year to the end of the season,

they were regularly in the top five or six, you know, points finishes. And we thought, wow, this development's amazing. We start the 20-23 season. Fernando also picks up a podium, he picks up several more podium. Lance Stroll is regularly picking up good points as well. You know what? Lance Stroll's not a world-beater, but hey, it's okay. We'd like to see more, but it's all right.

And all of a sudden, from Zanvort onwards, they become a shocker of a car. And Ben, you said it, and I think we all agree that in Mexico, they might have been the slowest car going around the track. And the fact that they went from being arguably the second fastest team to the slowest team across one whole season is shocking. Come to Brazil and, you know, it gets publicised that Fernando Alonso has said, let's go back to the proper old speck of the car. Not the one that was two races ago, not the one from, you know, Mexico,

and not the one from Qatar, the old speck of the car, essentially before most of their upgrades were fitted, and it's this much faster, it's this much more competitive, tells me that Askin Martin, dig a copy and paste on Red Bull, going into the new season, they had a play with some stuff, it worked,

and then they didn't have an absolute Scooby-Doo on what to do with their upgrades from that point moving forward. So it's fantastic that the initial concept that they designed worked brilliantly, and that Fernando Alonso and Lansstrol equally around a track like Brazil can put off a fantastic performance. What is incredibly concerning

is that that team has had no understanding of how to progress that design or that car any point across this whole season. It makes me very worried that going into 2024 they might stagnate.

They might get to that point where they go the direction we went and just didn't work. We had no idea what was wrong with it and we're still not sure what's wrong with it.

And so this might be all the glory we see. They might naturally start to fall back through the order anyway if they can't find a design that works for them that they fundamentally understand. I think similar things can be said from the saying is that they still don't fundamentally understand what's wrong with their car either.

But it is promising that they picked up results. It is promising that they've been competitive again. That it's called more than McLaren, who are their closest rivals at the moment in this Grand Prix. In theory, it's possible to happen again, both at Vegas and at Abu Dhabi. So you never know. I think the fight is done,

but we've seen stranger things happen. It could come back their way. I guess whilst it is uplifting for them to get this result, the bigger concern for me is their lack of understanding on how their own car works and what direction they need to take it in because they're never going to win races, let alone championships, if they cannot figure out the base foundation of how this car needs to succeed. Yeah, it sounds massively counterintuitive, but for those exact reasons, I think this is in a weird way discouraging because they have experimented with upgrades that have not worked. They've gone back to the old spec of car. yes, they have a fundamentally good car. That in itself is encouraging, but they have just gone on this development path for a long time

and not made any progress. And whilst this is a return to form in some respects, yes, it's far better than what they've had the last 6th Grand Prix, it's still quite a long way off where they'd like it to be. They are still further behind Red Bull now than they were at the beginning of this year. We're talking about Fernando Alonso being 35 seconds behind Vastappen and Stroll being 40.

seconds behind Vastappen as a win, which on the surface of it is a bit worrying. I hope that they do have some other development plans because they can't just keep the current spec car and not develop it and expect it to remain competitive. It's not going to get any closer to Red Bull using that strategy. It's not going to work. So, yeah, it's a bit of an odd one. The result is great, but it's discouraging the way they've had to achieve it, which is almost to go backwards to go forwards.

What were your thoughts, Harry? Yeah, it's going to be a worry for Aston Martin to this, even though it's good. It's from the car that, well, it's not the car from the start of the year, but it's certainly a car that's from the middle of the year at least and not the more recent one that they've been bringing to races in Mexico and US, for example. So, yes, encouraging, but that's going to be a real head scratcher for them.

And they say they understand. the car more, maybe that is true, but it's a real lost opportunity for this year. Because, you know, Alonsoe obviously did come third, but Norris still still comfortably in front of him, so that McLaren is still the quicker car. And for once, it was both Astor Martins outscoring one McLaren, which has been a rarity this year. So, yeah, they'll be encouraged for the rest of the year, I'm sure, or the remaining two races we've got. But yeah, if the wider picture. It's a little bit of a little bit of a concern. Okay, let's take our second break. On the other side, we'll be discussing Ferrari, Mercedes, and reviewing our bold predictions.

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It's the Nissan Black Friday event where you can... Wait, wait. Isn't it like a month long now? Nissan Blackfri Month? Does that work? It's the Nissan Black Friday Month. Nissan Black Frye Month event. On remaining 2025 Rogan Centra,

get 0% financing. Plus, get $1,000 Nissan bonus on kicks models. This Black Friday, you've got a whole month to catch all the exclusive offers waiting for you. See your local Nissan dealer or nisone.ca for details. Conditions apply. Okay, let's move on. Ferrari.

I am the unlucky as driver. I swear to God, man. I am the unluckiest driver. Shut. Charles Leclair qualified on the front row of the grid and he crashed on the formation lap because of an issue that was his. No hydraulics for UM-9.

No hydraulics for UM-9. It just cursed himself as the most unlucky driver in F-R-R-I. Why is there left to say about this team? I don't even want to call him a team. This disaster. I mean, what did you make of it? Charles LeCler, again, in a good qualifying position, and he walks away with zero points,

not even able to take the start of the race. Yeah, chydrolics, Lecrytronics. No. No. No. Or as my father sent me a message saying, Chucky Lecloch-Laclucky, I can't even say it, I'm lucky, which is, again, also so bad.

Needs a bit of work that one. It does. I mean, I said it wrong. Sorry, Shao. I've ruined it. But, I mean, Ferrari, what a horse. Harry, please, could you fill in with the... What are you doing?

Thank you, kindly. It's just so... It's like the Da Vinci Code at this point. You can't crack this uncrackable riddle, you know, that is now lasting a lifetime. They still somehow manage to get something wrong despite something being good. And it's another thing. Every single time, it's something different that goes wrong. You know, the strategy seemingly starts to get better.

Okay, then the car isn't very good at a sudden. gets better, it can't use its tyres. The tire issue gets better. Your hydraulics fail. You know, it's literally a scrapbook of problems and they are flicking through every single page. You're going, we'll have this one, this race. That's a new one. And I do feel so sorry for Charles Leclair because we discussed, you know, who's the second best driver in Formula One at the moment. His name barely made an appearance. And yet I think 18 months ago, he would be in the conversation as being the second best driver in the sport. And we've come up well before the likes of Lando Norris. were being on par with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando along so,

but he's maybe the fifth or sixth driver getting mentioned. He's being scored by Carlos Sikes in the points challenge at the moment, and arguably that's because of a lot of bad performance-related issues with the car. You know, he's had the DSQ, he's had essentially two DNSes now. You know, he's had DNFs through the up the wazoo. And I just think that... The wazoo. I just think that this guy can't catch a break.

He must have dug a 10-foot hole somewhere and just crue. dropped his morale straight into it because he's got no confidence left, bless him. And he's this undying faith in the church that is Ferrari. It's not yielding. He's not wavering. And the man is being let down time and time again. Carlos Science isn't exactly having a field day of it. He's just getting the better end of a really pooey stick.

You know, it's not like it's flying high for him also. He's coming home just in front of Pierre Gazley, what, over a minute away from the league of this Grand Prix. it's a shocker and Ferrari who were in the title fight for a lot of the season last year have somehow now arguably regularly got the fourth or fifth fastest car, they can't get a race win to buy one. Somehow the only team that did get a race win this season of a main Grand Prix, yet I think arguably that wasn't due to absolute raw performance. It was the Red Bull having a shocker.

So, oh, I feel so sorry for him. Literally, you may as well go for a little bit. little wee on the floor and rolling it. It's probably a slightly more pleasurable experience than driving that car at the moment because it's really, really shocking. And I imagine that Charles, and probably Carlos, I'm desperately hoping that this season

just comes to an end. Try to go next year. Give it another go. You've done it every other year. Try it again. So why not go another time? Yeah. Nice.

Last season, Ferrari as a constructor were 205 points behind Red Bull. They are currently 420 points behind Red Bull despite having no blaze. Harry, what did you make of LaClauze? It's not even classed as a retirement. It's a DNS.

A DNS, yeah. Another one. Another one. Who gets two DNSes in a season? How often does that happen? Ferrari. It's real Ferrari in 1996 vibes.

We're on now. Oh, yeah. Great car. Four years. They'll be champions, mate. Yeah, it's just, it's just free Lecler. How many times are going to say it? I'm going to do the T-shirts.

Free that man. I'm doing the T-shirts. Both Ferrari drivers after the sprint shootout yesterday. I don't say they were smug, but they were saying about how they'd actually sacrifice. They were going to sacrifice the entire sprint day, which, you know, fair do is because it's crap. But with their tyres, because they wanted to be in a better position for race day,

the actual Grand Prix win day, I don't know, signs didn't set the world alike today, but who knows where the clerk had been started on the front row? And he can't even get there. Can he even get there? And it's... Saskososos is all they do well.

It's just, for LeClau, it's just embarrassing. I know we know he wasn't him that crashed it. You know, crashing out on the formation lap. embarrassing embarrassing no no no blam no

um so yeah this is just another one to add to Ferraris yeah the irony

terrible year the irony being that they're the only ones that have actually one of Grand Prix other than Red Bull

yeah that's so Ferrari it was undeserved it's so Ferrari but they were very good that day

for one day a year they get it yeah Carlos Seix was mega yeah

poor of Claire I don't know what else is to say more to say about it, but just for his sake, I pray they get a better, better car strategy, etc, etc. Right off the whole team. Start again.

Free LeCla. Fraudulent team. Right. Good news for Ferrari. They scored double the amount of points that Mercedes did. Mercedes scored a grand total of four points, which you might say, well, one of them retired, but if that didn't happen, they might have ended up with five. Lewis Hamilton finished 8th.

George Russell retired from the Grand Prix. They just fell backwards and backwards and backwards, which was impressive because they didn't start that high up in the first place. Sam, what did you make of Mercedes lack of pace given this was the last track they won at? I think the expressions across the entire Mercedes team, every time they cut to the garage, Toto Wolf looking, you know, mortified, Mick Schumacher desperately thinking, God, get me out of here. Why have I got to be here, please?

This is worse than house. At least I was driving a car there. It's, I think, much like Askin Martin in the sense that Asken Martin created this great car, but don't really know what to do with it at this point. Mercedes changed their philosophy. They released that apology, remember? And then they changed their philosophy. We might get another apology letter today.

And they changed their philosophy. And I don't think they have an absolute clue what to do with it. I don't think they understand how it works with their ties. There was a statement released by George Russell in an interview, I believe, with Autosport, where he came out and said that the thing letting us down the most is not understanding. He said he called it the black magic of Porelli tyres. And that is the understanding of the tyres only work in such a minute sweet spot. And we just can't crack what that sweet spot is.

We cannot get those tyres into that working window on a regular enough basis that actually we see some success. And he talked about how some Grand Prix, especially with the harder compound tire, will see them all of a sudden flying. They'll become the fastest car on track. But then every other tire, at every other track, they are just, bleh, literally rubbish, not good enough. And here was almost the ultimate example of that. The tyres for them simply didn't work.

I don't think either driving me what tire they wanted to be on, Lewis Hamilton at one point going, can I be on the hard tire, they put him on the soft tire, the medium was rubbish for them, they couldn't maximise the soft when everyone else was getting past them. The car, Martin Brundle liked to go on about having a parachute hanging off the back of it at one point. Why was it so slow in a straight line? How has it become this slow?

No. How is it... Pierre Gasly got past it in a straight line and Alpine had been the ones going, can we do an engine check please because we're really slow in a straight line? Not that slow. He flew past him. He went straight past it.

See you later, Lewis. That Alpine could not break the speed limit on a motorway. Honestly. How slow it is. Honestly, you wouldn't get a speaking ticket in that mistake. It's genuinely in a 20-zone. I don't think they know.

And consequently, I don't think we know what's wrong with it. Mercedes have got some real woes in their foundations. They have built their car on sand. And that make for a tricky building process for anyone. And I think they need to, very much like Ferrari, rip it all apart and just start again. I'm hoping with James Allison out the head of the development phase

that's going into 2024, we're going to see a more focused, underscilled approach. Obviously, he was a bit of the mastermind behind their glory in the earlier days, that we might see a little return to form. And Christian Horner did recently come out and say that we haven't seen the full effects of the penalty from breaking the cost cap. So who knows, we might see a transition of the top dogs. They've finished out now, though.

Yeah, I know, but apparently we've not seen the effects. Okay. I don't think we will. But hey, Christian Horner said different. So we'll see how it goes. So we might see a changing of the gar, but, you know, I say that hopefully when you look at the likes of Ascom Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari, not having a bloody clue what they're doing.

And McLaren had to start 17th every single season to have a good one. apparently. So, you know, they're not helping themselves. Masegis are having a shocker. I just don't think they know what's going on with that car. And it is abysmal. This was the worst Formula One weekend that Mosegans have had in a long time, I think. Which is amazing that they won here only a year ago.

My dad texts me while we were recording because he's still watching on Sky. And they interviewed Toto and he called the car a miserable thing. Fair. He's not wrong. It's not wrong. Completely fair. I hate it. Oh dear.

I was trying to go back. This is sort of on-the-fly stats here because their best position today was eighth. And I was looking back through the years like other times where their best result was eighth place. They haven't done it this year, by the way, apart from today. There was once last year, which was Singapore. That wasn't pure pace alone. If you go back to some other races as well where they've done. done it.

Azerbaijan in 2021, that was a double retirement. You've got Austria from 2019. That was a double retirement. Excuse me, 2018 on that one. 2019, the German Grand Prix, remember the incredibly wet conditions there. That lovely livery. The other times where they have performed as badly as they performed today,

there was a reason for it that wasn't pace. On pure pace alone, I might not be mad in saying this. This might have been their worst result since 2012. I was about to say, genuinely. Is this the worst the car has been since the start of the hybrid era? Yes, for me, without a doubt, in terms of pure pace, I cannot think of another Grand Prix where they have been as slow as what they were today. There were a few times at the beginning of last season where Hamilton was seriously off the pace,

but George Russell was on it. So, like, Imala is a probably a good example of that, and Saudi Arabia from last year. But at least in that instance, you had one car fighting up there. Today, if George Russell had finished the race, the best results still would have been eighth. And quite honestly,

you know, the amount of things that needed to happen as well, Piastri and Ricardo, I think they both had the pace to beat the Mercedes today. I think Sonoda had the pace to beat the Mercedes. Ocon could have done because his teammate did. You had, to be honest,

I don't know what Album would have been able to do. without his first lap retirement, given where Sergeant was. So... I think safely saying that if all of those how can I cling race, Russell not in the points

and maybe Hamilton at best 10th would be a fair assessment. Anyone remember when they won this race last year? Exactly. How's that happening? Madness. 12 months ago.

It's only good for no pods. Sorry, I'm going, can we cut the side points off? Take them off again. I love no side pods. Oh. Should we, sorry, we have to do this. Should we review some bold predictions?

Yeah, I'm going to bow out gracefully on this. Do it quickly and quietly. Yeat myself. Sam did need the comeback to end all comebacks in order to salvage a non-loss in this season-long championship. A rater. Unfortunately, he didn't get it. Turn one, failed.

So you said that Max for. Stappen would not win one of the two Grand Prix, and he won both of them. Yeah, and I thought with the pole from Norris, and then when I started seeing some of the Carnage unfold, there was a little glimmer in me that thought, something's going to happen here. And also, I'm waiting for the day that there's a DNF just from one of them having a reliability problem. It's never going to come.

That car will live through every natural disaster that we ever see. Honestly, the Red Bull will never die. Do you remember when Red Bull had that reliability? issue in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that was the only one they've had all year. That was a long time ago now. That was a long time ago.

Literally 20 Grand Prix. Oh, God. Anyway, so that didn't go very well. Harry, you said that one of the two Mercedes would win one of the Grand Prix. As mentioned, they might have had their worst race in 10 years. That's pretty bad, wouldn't it? Yeah. Pretty bad.

What about yours, Ben? Well, you know what? I'm fine with mine. I said that an Alfa Romeo was going to finish in the top eight, and I don't know if Bottas would have been a mile away. And Alfa Romeo, I don't know why they retired the car. Maybe it was just to spite me. At this point, who's to say?

Did you say, you said one or two, I can't remember. I mean, it doesn't matter. I mean, only one. They both retired anyway. But they both retired. So, like I think it was not a good week again. Not as bad though. It might have been marginally better than last time, but not by much.

We are on a roll of stinkers. Yeah, it's been a bad three races, isn't it? We've had some close calls previously where we've been like a position off or, you know, we're at one thing away from happening, but three in a row of nowhere and years. No. We're going on next time. Well, speaking of predicting things that don't end up being true, we bigged up the Brazilian Grand Prix in our preview.

the pressure. Never misses. It missed. Why did it miss some? I don't know why it missed. It was strange. I don't think the carnage helped, actually. I think whilst it looked like quite a spicy start to the Grand Prix,

I think actually the tyres caused a struggle. And then I think the lack of cars on the track meant that we were more spaced out and cars naturally kind of fitting into their natural positions and having two cars that were lapped, whole Grand Prix meant that that's even less competitive running. That didn't help. I think, Ben, as you said in the sprint review that you did, I think the DRS zone was pretty much nailed on, actually. And the concept that they do here, which they should do in Mexico and Australia, where,

you know, start-finished straight, DRS goes to the driver behind. And then the next straight, the D-R-S goes to the next driver that's behind, not the same driver from the start-finished rate, is the right philosophy. I think that makes for exciting racing. It just, we had to. some moments and it just never really fully materialised. You turned around to me at one point and went, we're not even halfway through. Yeah, went on a bit, didn't it?

At that 34 of 71, I felt like I aged many a year. I'm not sure why it missed, but despite it having spice, it wasn't the right kind. It was like, oh, I'm looking for a bit of cayenne, a bit of paprika, and I'll accidentally put time in my curry. And now it's horrible. Good. On the right day. It's put basil in it.

Yeah, on the right day, times a banger. But not when I want paprika. Oh, boy. Oh, that's got me that. Mostly done. Why wasn't it very good, Harry? I don't know, mate. Great analysis.

I was hoping you'd have the answer. No, do you know what? And this may not be the answer. I know it's great for immediate drama. But when you lose almost a quarter of the field, in on lap one. It's not good for a race because I know we did get

Holkenberg, Ricardo and Piastri back but they might as well not have been there the rest of the afternoon. They were limping round. Ricardo and Piastro were already a lap down. And I think Ricardo... We finished with 12. Yeah.

Really? Yeah. I know, yeah. We had 12 out there by the end really. So I don't think that helped because as you say, there were a few contenders in there at least in the midfield.

And I guess Piastri, you would say maybe further up towards the top. that we lost almost immediately. Ricardo would have been in that battle as the top ten, as we saw in the sprint. Piaastri could well have been in that or even further up. Albon could well have been in that battle as well

and we lost all of them. So I'll say maybe that's partially to blame, but it was a shame because I know we say the sprint just is like a little prelude to the race, but it wasn't. because we had quite an exciting sprint. Still hate it.

But quite an exciting sprint in terms of the battles, which we never really got today. But we did comment that the only team that changed is that Perez couldn't get past Alonso and we've had the exact same top one, two, and three from the sprint to the moment. Exactly. Fernando Alonzo saving us all there.

It's only marginal now, isn't it, one place because of the qualifying difference. Yeah, anyway. So, a bit of a shame. Brazil missed a little bit on that one. Well, I think if you were to, speaking of like the sprint and the comparison to the race, everyone apart from Esteban-Ock on doing eight stops was on a two-stop strategy today, which when you think about it, that replicates the sprint as closely as possible.

Sounds weird, but if you have the sprint race be one-third of a Grand Prix, that means that a stint length in the race on a two-stop is the same as a sprint race. it is like 72 laps, divide that by three, you get 24 laps. So the average stint length out there today was a sprint race, but we didn't get the same sort of entertainment, which makes me think, yes, it is absolutely the reason that you mentioned at the beginning. There weren't enough drivers out there. And I think we are actually, generally speaking,

maybe lucky is the right word. We're quite lucky that attrition rates are so low in modern Formula One and retirements due to reliability don't happen anywhere near as often as they used to, because if they did, we'd have more races like we had out there today, where there just aren't enough contenders to develop into a good race. Hey, I mean, we had a good race yesterday. We didn't have a good race today. What's one of the fundamental differences between the two days?

One had 20 drivers pretty much. One add 12. It kind of makes sense. It's not much else separating the two races. I'll tell you what would help a couple more drivers out of that. Maybe get another team or two. Extra theme.

Yeah, that'd be nice. It's a good idea that man. I think today was a good advert for it though. I think today was a good advert. I think if you removed the Alonso-Perez battle and the crash at the start, which arguably could make the point that it shouldn't count to a good race or not,

this might have been the worst race of the season in terms of outright action and interest. Well, everything just worked itself out, didn't it? It just, yeah. Apart from Perez not quite being able to work out Fernando Alonzo, everything else finished roughly as it should have done based on who finished the Grand Prix. Yeah, pretty much.

Good stuff. All done Brazil. Nice one, Brazil. Should we do Big Brain Strategy? Yes, let's do it. I've thought of one. Here come the killers. I went to karaoke last night,

and I did smile like you mean it. Oh, tune. Yeah. a great time. Bloody tune. That's one. Was that your big brain strategy doing that? Yeah, I thought of one.

Yeah, that's fair. Oh, makes sense. You can go first, Sam, since you have four to one. Thank you. It's got to be the conversation between Russell's engineer about, you know, hey, guys, are we working as a team or can I get past? And there you just go, we're discussing. And it's like, how have you not thought about this potential opportunity coming around

when, you know, you were starting on the grid next to each other at one point? honestly, Mercedes, get it together with your communication because it is becoming very Ferrari-esque. I think they're still discussing it now. It must be because Russell is still behind Hamilton. There was a really depressing moment when they were just battling. I think it was over P6 at the time, and little did they know it's going to get even worse.

But they were just kind of squabbling over P6, and it was like, oh, wow. Squabbling's kind. This is a real fall from race. It was a bit lame, wasn't it? Yeah, it's kind of like, oh, I'm three-tenths behind you, guys, nine tents behind. I probably would have got,

I think it was quicker, but because it's so slow, you can't get past. Like two London buses trying to fight each other. Pretty much. Harry, big brain strap. I'm going to go for

an actual good one. Oh, all right. I know. But I just, you know, sometimes we should, we should appreciate the good ones, but just, Ashton Martin saying,

Fernando, I go plan A, and he goes, copy, I agree. How easy is it? What a breath of fresh air. How easy is that Ferrari, Mercedes. We do the plan we said we were going to do.

Drivers. Yes. It's working. Well done us. P3. The strategy has worked. We finished basically where we started. Anyway.

My big brain strategy, I was tempted to give this to Esteban Ockon for not advertising the fact that he was going to overtake Nika Holkenberg in this Grand Prix. And he did it successfully. I'm not going to give it to him. I'm actually also going with George Russell, but a slightly later radio message, which was his new strategy of

something is so obvious, I'm not even going to say it. That was good. He had some good ones this race. And Mercedes Radio, at Russell in particular, was gold. He was sassy. I mean, both of them.

It's time for you to use his tie now, Louis. I'll be using it for five laps, dude. Pits that lap. Literally, Ben Pitts. Do you want me to lose positions? Or do you want me to race? up to you guys. I could do one or the other.

And the response was, do both. Do both, please, George. You're a racing driver. Right, we're going to take our final break today. Moment of the race is on the other side. Okay, moment of the race. Harry, what have you got? Ah, yes, I got to go first,

or I'll pick the one. Probably everyone go from... Damn it. It's that final. It's that Alonzo Perez battle because it's probably the most exciting thing that was the most exciting thing that happened all race.

we were screaming. Actually, you can see it again on social media. We are screaming at it. Oh boy, we be screaming. It was so good. It was so good. It was amazing. I love, and Brazil produces these

to the lying moments quite regularly. And it's, oh, it's exciting. Love it. How hard do you think Alonzo was pressing the battery button? More battery! All of it. Deploy! Now!

Anyway. yeah, said that one. Sam? My thing after that one came after the race, smiles on Mike Crack. Oh,

come on, man. It was so... We laughed a lot. We had a very big giggle. Thank you, I can believe that. I think he does it

intentionally. Honestly, ridiculous. My moment of the race, Machine Gun Kelly, what a muffin. He left halfway through. Yeah,

like he's a, Diard Alfa Romeo fan. He wasn't interested. After retirement, I'm back. I'm off me. I'm going. I can't even say like a hundred of the words I want to call him. This is a pure advert for the Plunker.

Classic case of stop inviting celebrities that literally don't understand what Formula One is. What a grid. Honestly, Rubens Barichello was there. And if you don't like Rubens Barakello, you're wrong. You was a person. He's one of the loveliest man in the world. It's honestly gorgeous. Yeah.

And then we had machine gun Kelly and then just Martin Brunnell outwardly saying to Bernie and Constone oh how's your taxes this month? He said you've had a what's it, a difficult month with HMRC. I can't wait for another Martin Giff where he does the paws and the glasses come down.

So good. Anyway. And then he speaks to Felipe Massa and I'm like, okay, he's going to bring up the 2008 championship here, isn't he? and he didn't. But that would have capped off

like the grid walk to end all grid walk. He smashed it. He's still on it old mine. He's got it. Entertaining. We have.

So many. Honestly, we have so many. So, and because producer Kirstie is not here today, should not listen to them before. So they're not vetted.

And some of these will probably get cut out. So I'm sorry in advance. But anyway, because he was first and before I'd even ask people, Hazer. For Saba.

Right, boys, moment of the race for me. Very early on when Lando Norris tried to move on for Stapman, I thought, oh, bloody hell, here we go. An actual proper race for once, and then within like three laps, he was five seconds behind. So we can dream, boys. We can dream. But a bit of a nath race, to be honest,

apart from the last lap. You lot have been saying all week, Brazil never disappoints. So well done to you lot for highlighting that. You are cursed. We are. We are so cursed. We are cursed. He's not wrong.

There is a snake in my boot. Woody is next. Tom. What's up, fellas? It's your boy Woody here from the home of Haas in North Carolina, USA. A moment of the race for me today was Ted taking a parting shot at MGK and Machine Gun Kelly for pulling a Chindles-Labindles and leaving the race early. Who knows? Maybe MGK and Chucky have an early resi at a Brazilian steakhouse.

Chindles Labindles! You're my favorite deputy. Good. Thank you, Woody. Bristol Liam is next. All right, boy, boys. My moment of the race was when Chollocks, Leno Hydraulics,

crashed out before the race has started. It's telling me he is and even a moment of the race. Cheers. That was Gertlush. When he said Chollocks, I wondered where that was going for a second. Blimey. I get the beeps out.

That was brutal, though. Right. the end say, only is technically correct. It's not even a moment of the race because he didn't get to start it. A moment of the formation lap. All good always.

Highly breaking. Wow. What a race. Good old Charles for getting that domino effect started right before the race even began. And then we just saw a bunch of cars just drop off the grid like flies. Moment of the race.

Gotta be that super spicy fight. Towards the end of the race with Fernando and Checo. I mean, Checo find that. driving like his life depends on it as he should be doing the entire season and as usual the fight ended with a little bit of a sad disappointment but good old fernando finally on the podium love you guys at the pocket bike good old fernando think that fight for peter in the championship might be over oh yeah maybe or de socal jane is next hey is jen from socal uh hello there moment of the race toss up between

Leclair's, I guess, longest ever walk back to the paddock after the formation lap incident. Oh, what, what. And then Fernando Alonzo there at the end. What a photo finish. Way to go, Fernando. Keep breaking late and join the Patreon. Oh, she's so right for that.

You're so real, SoCal, Jen. Always going to get on for that, SoCal. That's like a trademark. Mark. Mermen of the race now from James. Hey, we boys. James here for my murder of the race. My mom of the race.

Well, I couldn't really watch the whole race because you had to pick up real dad from the airport. But my murder of the race is definitely the clerk spinning off on the formation lab. Terror for him, really. Hydraulics failure. I mean, Ferrari are basically torturing me now

in prison. Couldn't be worse for him. See you in Las Vegas. And keep breaking late. Bye. Bye James. God, jet set a real dad. Unbelievable.

Yeah. Frazzle is our next one. Alonzo is him. Alonzo is just, he is that guy. Alonzo is that guy. My favorite moment of the race was when Alonzo was on there and he said it's Formula One time and like Formula One all over that. Yes. Just unbelievable from him.

The defending, the racing, the IQ on that man. is insane. It's Formula One time. I just wish that Alonzo, as he got out of the car, just started screaming. Yeah, that'd be good, wouldn't it? Oh, I love that, man. He was emotional, though, was old for another. I think it's a big return to Formula.

He cares. He's exhausted, mate. He cares as much as he ever did. He's an old man, and he's had a stressful afternoon. I can relate. I'd be weepy too. Brazil? No, Norm from Texas is next.

Norne for Brazil. my late breaking friends from across lay big wet. It is I, Norm from Texas, and I am here to give you my moment of the race. And my moment of the race was the beginning and the end. In the beginning, we had a tremendous crash, which rained parts and hopes and dreams across the track. And we got a red flag. And then at the end, we had old man Alonzo saying, not today, Sergio, that podium is mine. Anyway, great day for McLaren.

This one goes out for you, Bunger. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Oh, it's Curly Jefferson. Curly Jefferson's with old Greg. Cricket Bailey's from his shirt. Right, boys, Curly Jefferson here. My moment of the race is a split between

Tuckles McCluckles, taking the scenic route, around half the racetrack before it even started, and the absolute savagery of Fernando Alonso's defense in the last couple laps. Cheers. It's the first timey. Cheers, Curley.

Cerebellicious. Hold on to your hats, everybody. Oh, God. My moment of the race for the Pauli Pauluson GP is every driver I like is sucking to the point where Lance Stroll was a man

my hopes were laying on. Yeah. You know you've gone low. Lark Stroll is who you're rooting for. I think it's another Another schmool is next. Hello, late breaking boys. My moment of the race was realizing what real excitement was again in Formula One when

for the first time in this season, I think Max was actually challenged for first place by Lando. Yeah. That was my moment of the race. Great podcast. Love you guys. Interesting. Thank you. Interesting. A really big gammon.

Yeah. No longer a big hand. It's now a big gammon. She's become British. Evolved. Evolved as a Pokemon. Waffles. Oh.

Cheers of Biggammon. Thank you. Not even sure what that means. Great point. Great point. What happened for breakfast. Stick figure? That's a new one, I think.

Okay. First timey. Highly breaking. First time submiter here, medium time listener. Moment of the race had to be when Verstappen went in for his last pit stop and all of us were collectively wishing for a safety car, so Norris could win.

Didn't happen, but would have been cool if they did. Cool race. You guys are awesome. Join the discard. Bye. I'd definitely second about eight occasions. Can we have a safety car, please? Would have been good. I love medium-term listener. Medium-term listener. It's fantastic. Beefy beef is next.

Brazil beef. Hello. I have an essay due in three days. And I got my septum purse. That's my update. Moment of the race. The beef. What's that? She found that fine. Lando was three and a lot of seconds behind Max Verstafford. Good work.

Okay, bye. Thank you, Crafty. Three and a lot of seconds. Many, many treasurable moments from Crockty this race. Oh, Lord. Save Lecler is next. Free LeClau. Oh.

Oh, no. The Save Leclair campaign has never been stronger. I'm too tired of this. I can't even pick a moment at the race. We just need to get that man out of Ferrari. Hey, getting. touch. We'll work this out. Shall we actually, I'm going to do the t-shirts?

Folks, fake shoot. I'm going to release them. Are we... Okay. Sorry, the law. I'm not going to make him a prison cell. Again. Croninberg is next. It's not a beer.

That's Cronin. Cronin, but anyway. Beer is next. Yo, what up? It's Cronin Bird. Reporting from California. A moment of the race. You know so, Caltech. We'll probably have to say Leclair.

crashing out formation left, but it wasn't technically during the race. So I'm going to have to go with Fernando Alonzo defending like he was racing for first. That was awesome. What a last couple laps that was. Anyways, keep breaking night. Love the podcast.

Thank you, Cronhamberg. Thank you very much. The real John. The real John Moe is there. Who's the fake John Moe? Now, make my mind up whether it's the train wreck of his start or the photo finish. But what a race.

Great week. Great times. Congrats everyone. Congrats everyone. Congrats everyone. I'm sure Alpha Amayo are loving that. Lordi, Lordi, Lou. I love the positivity.

Yeah. There's so many. Bogan Lamb is next. Gooda, good-day. Oh. Morgan Lamia. Fianna or Lonza? Where is he in my ears?

Yeah. Finnaudanloon. All right, fair days. Okay, thanks, Bogan. First ever submission. I like that, though. It was in stereo. Obviously, that was blowing my mind.

how you're coming from. Oh, my sweet Lord, how do I read this? Willard Ricardo. 33. Moment of the race, Charles crashing, formation lap

and just going, why am I so unlucky with an expletive? That just says it all. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. That was too many. There's too many.

Some of those probably weren't making it in, which we apologise for, but we appreciate the love. Honestly, some of you just don't bother next time. No. No. If you see that many, skip it.

Come back next week. No, no, no. You've got a fun editing nose down, Ari. I'm so glad that I don't have to touch this. Sound gets to go home and have a spag ball. It is an hour to drive home, essentially. I'm not driving. Spag ball?

Lovely. Oh, it's spag bowl. Okay. You don't say bowling gays? It's an hour and 20 can we get out of it No, I'm going to argue

and beg about Bologna's No, no I'd just like to wind him up I go and I find it very funny Yeah, we can leave Thanks for listening Join the Discord I might get annoyed at you for submitting

Which actually we ask you do every single week We love you for it Patrons available You get two extra episodes Every single month And they are ad freaks Like every other podcast

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5K. But thank you to all those that are watching the vigils that we're putting out. This is also available on YouTube. On that, tune in for the midweek episode. It's going to be me and Ben, I think, just chatting General F1 because there's no Grand Prix

next weekend. We get a weekend off. We're going to get to relax before the big Vegas. I also noticed that the advertising for Vegas started before the podium started happening, which was... Vegas! They were in it instantaneously.

They're like, they crossed the line. We could do Vegas. Join us. We love you. Thanks very much. I've been Tammy Sage. I've been Ben Hawking. And I've been Harry Ead.

And remember, keep breaking light. Brazil. Brazil. Done? Yeah. Good stuff. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.