The Late Braking F1 Podcast - 2023 United States GP Review

Episode Date: October 23, 2023

After their live experience of the race, Ben, Sam and Harry are on hand to review the United States Grand Prix won by Max Verstappen! The guys chat through whether Lewis Hamilton should have stuck to a one-stop strategy, tyre wear struggles for Ferrari and how the Haas 'upgrades' failed to deliver. 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

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 podcast. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. And a very warm welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Eid, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking, today reviewing the United States Grand Prix won by Max Verstappen after a close fight with Lewis Hamilton, although Lewis Hamilton is not the driver, who finished second due to a disqualification. after the Grand Prix, him and Charles LeCler falling foul of technical regulation.

So it was actually Lando Norris, who technically finished this in second place. And Carlos Sines picks up another podium where he doesn't actually get to stand on the podium. He was third. Of course, a slightly different review in that we were there. We were at turn 12 watching the Grand Prix. It was all right, wouldn't it? It was pretty tasty. Tasty.

Tasty. It's pretty weird. Ben started the podcast. He's got no notes. Yeah, this is very strange. It's crazy. This feels like a real loose. We're loosey-goosey, baby.

I mean, I don't have time to write notes normally for review episodes. True. And also, sorry if you're hearing that it's quite echo we. We're in an Airbnb and it's a very high-ceilinged building. Yeah, it's just a very big space we're in right now. Promise you, it's a one-off. We'll be back to normality later wrong in the... Well, actually, we won't be because we've got to be reviewing the Mexican one here as well.

Mexico GP review. We'll be back to normal. Yes. Qualifying review. Promise, anyway, that's enough chik-chat. What are we talking about, Ben? well we're just going to be really smug for about an hour because finally we've actually recorded a podcast slightly later than what we normally do and we've been rewarded because

the news about Leclair and Hamilton has happened after we've sorry before we've recorded rather than after but what else have we got coming up today thoughts on the sprint race as we didn't get a chance to do these sprint or quality reviews so we're going to give our thoughts on the sprint race in a little bit has and astam martin both brought upgrades this weekend and they went really well. So our thoughts on both of those teams. Or no. Or no, indeed. Ferrari, doing very well in qualifying, but not so much in terms of tire wear. Our thoughts on that a little bit later on. But let's start with the fight out front. So Max Verstappen started the Grand Prix in sixth place. Lewis Hamilton, also in a pretty good position in third on the grid. So they were fighting

throughout the race. Vestappen was the sort of first of the front runners to go into the pit stops. it was a bit up in the air as to what the strategy was for the teams. It seemed that Vastappen at least was committed to a two-stop as he went medium-medium on his first two runs. With Lewis Hamilton, though, he went longer on the first stint on those mediums and then went on to hard tyres. So we're in the stands thinking he's probably thinking of doing a one-stop here. Tricie boy.

This is going to be really interesting to see how that pans out. And then Mercedes went, no, we're actually two-stopping as well. And of course, as we know, he got fairly close to Max Verstappen, but not quite. enough in order to take the win. So, Sam, the question is, were Mercedes right to bail out of that one-stop strategy? This is a really big talking point between all of us while we were sat there in the ground and watching it happen, weren't we? I actually loved that they went risky, or it looked like they were going to be risky. You know, Max was stopping in that car, despite him nursing a massive brake issue, and you can hear him on his team radio how frustrated he had become with the car.

you know, GPs, Engingier kept talking to him in the breaking zones and the swear words coming out of that young man's mouth about not talking to him in the breaking zones were extreme, which I'm all for, I'm awful. You could tell that he cares so much about winning despite the chavings of being wrapped up. He wanted that victory. I was a bit gutted to hear that Masegis have pulled out

of a potential one-stop because I think they were onto something. I think it, you know, they didn't win anyway, but at least they were doing something initially that was very different, that was very, you know, unexpected at the front. and it meant that Verstappen had to go from being hunted to the hunter. He had to put out the results. He had to knock out the lap times. He didn't just have to sit there consistently ensuring that then he doesn't get overtaken.

And it might not have worked out, but I don't think it was ever going to work out with how it panned out in the first place. When they brought Hamilton in for that second stop, it was too late in the Grand Prix to make up the difference. And the saying he didn't that strong. And the fact that Verstappen was still managing to knock out those lap times, despite having such severe break issues, shows that while it was a close end to the race,

I think actually had the car been fully healthy, the staff were going to be further up the road. So I do think that they should have stayed out with him. I think maybe split it, bring Russell in for the two-stop, keep Hamilton out for the one-stop, worse comes to it. You end up on the podium anyway, and you don't get the win.

But for me, I think it's a bit of a shame. I actually commenting on the grandstand what we were watching. I'm sick of how bad Mercedes are at strategy. They're really, really pouring it at the moment. And I think a lot of people started to doubt Hannah Schmitts from Red Bull with her strategy call on this two-stop, because it looked like it immediately became the favourable stop to do one.

And... Always have faith, mate. Always have faith, have faith. They brought her up on the big screen around the track when she was quite... She looked concerned, didn't he? She did. She concerned talking over the microphone. She was concerned probably about what she's having, I know, for digging later on in town because she smashed it again.

Honestly, that woman is a profit of strategy. And she nailed at every point. And I do think that to beat something like that, with a car that good, with a driver that good, you have to go out on a limb, you have to take a risk. And Mercedes, I think, let themselves, down a little bit. I think worse comes to it. They can finish third, not second, maybe, Hank Norris kept on, but his ties died off very quickly as well. So, obviously, you've got on the podium at all because they can't measure how thick a plank should be. But

nonetheless, I think the wing was properly in contention had they stuck it out for the one-stop. The risk was worth it, I think. Read my lips, everyone. Step one, don't doubt Hannah. Step two, refer to step one. That's how you do, strategy. She knows how a strategy. What were your thoughts, Harry? Did you agree? I know we were, as Sam mentioned, talking about this.

And I don't know if you actually said this line, but it sounds very much like you. What are you doing? What are you doing? I've heard that one before. Which, by the way, had to write down someone's signature book. So that was the individual who came to the live show. Crazy.

And makes each write our own catchphrase and then sign it. That might be the best thing I've ever signed in my life. Anyway, what are you doing? Correct. Yeah, why? They just didn't commit to either way, properly. Either commit to the one-stop,

which we thought they had. And I was sat next to you guys, and that was when Vestappen got past Norris, but then didn't really put away from Hounter, it was like six seconds max before he had his five-second stop. I was like, Hounder's in a good spot here because when he comes back out,

Vestappen's still got a make-up, 15 seconds. And it was when he came out of 15 seconds. And I was like, that's going to take a lot of him to, you know, to gain. And two ups later they bring Hamilton in anyway. So that's pointless.

But I think there was, the two options were quite marginal. But they didn't commit then to the two stop for Hamilton early enough because he then ran out of laps. If it had been a 58 lap race rather than 56, he would have got him. but then in that case, Mercedes, just bring him in a bit earlier.

It was annoying. I don't know, I don't think the one-stop would have worked anyway, but it would have been really interesting to see that, the reversal of who was being the hunter and the hunted. Yeah. To see how that would have worked out, because I think for Steppen probably still would have got past, but I think there's more jeopardy involved then.

for Vastappen, because he's got to be the one again, with the moxen with dodgy brakes. And also, Hamilton only made up, I know it's Hamilton, Hamilton's car is generally slower than that Red Bull, but again, it's wounded, but Hamilton made up nine seconds in like the 21 laps or something that he had left.

That tells me that it would have been a challenge for Vestappen to have made up the 15 seconds in maybe 24, 25 laps. You know, that will have to be just around a second of lap and then get the move done. It's no, I mean, it's for Stappan. He probably could do it, but it's how easy things to do.

Agreed. Yeah. I actually think that Norris hampered Lewis Hamilton's race here and his strategy in that I think he was somewhat of a distraction that wasn't actually a distraction almost. In the early stages, it looked like Lando Norris was competitive enough that maybe the race win was on, obviously led for a number of laps. And I don't think at that point, anyone knew McLaren or Mercedes

how much Norris was going to drop off the pace. And I feel like Lewis Hamilton in second, obviously at that point with Verstappen behind, maybe their attention was turned to how do we beat Norris rather than actually we've got Norris. Vestappen's the one we need to think about here. He'd say that, and I think that's a really good point because Hamilton on the team radio was regularly saying,

you know, Bono, what's the gap to the car in front? What's the gap to the car? And Bono kept coming over. Norris is a given. We might be a gap for Stappen. He kept trying to reassure him. Norris is a given. which, I think, I think you're right,

I think Hamilton was focused on grabbing second, and only then after that, did he go, first is an option. We saw what the gap was what? I think it was two seconds and they crossed the line, but it came down to about 1.4 at one point, which shows how two more laps, maybe, like you said, could have had it.

In hindsight, I think Mercedes-Hamilton probably just pit Lewis Hamilton the lap after Vastappen comes in. And you make Vestappen do the overtake on track. Make him work. Yeah. Because at that point, he had a comfortable-ish advantage in that the undercut probably wasn't going to pay off of Vastappen.

So, you know, if you, if you pit just one lap after Vastappen, even if it's early, you pit one lap after Vestappen, you do that on the second stint as well. Suddenly, you know, maybe Vestappen wins, like you say, maybe Vestappen still takes the victory. But at that point, he's got to make the overtake to get it done. Whereas I think, I'm not going to say Mercedes handed it to Vestappen, but certainly I don't think, I don't think they made him worse.

work as much as they should have done. And in all honesty, I think the one-stop probably wasn't going to work. You know, on reflection in the... Like Lecler felt that. Exactly. Leclair is the benchmark. And I know Ferrari eats up their ties far more than Mercedes do. So they go from the one-stop. Yeah. They understand so well. You've done it again. Yeah. It might not be a direct, direct comparison because of that. But certainly, Lecler was overtaken by his teammate, and they were on the opposite. It was almost like Sines was on the Vestappan strategy and LeCleur was on the Hamilton strategy. And obviously, Sines won that battle.

And Leclair dropped behind Sergio Perez as well. So I don't know whether it would have worked. But to your point, Harry, go one or the other. Give it a go. It just feels sluggish. It feels lazy. Like, they reacted to the point where Vastapeng already got the undercut, because they were so slow to pit him again

that he already got the jump. And it happened to the second time when they then thought, oh, we'll bring Hamilton right at the end of the race. And it's just react. Make a cutthroat decision and work out what one you want to do and stick to it.

Because otherwise you end up in this middle ground that doesn't work either way. You will lose out because you're not committed. Yeah. I tend to think if you're doing more laps on the medium tire versus what you do on the hard tire, which is what happened with Lewis Hamilton,

something's probably not gone right. You know, they went very long on that first stint. And at the time, we were like, okay, yeah, they might be able to make this work. If you can do, was it 21, 21 laps on the medium? Could you do 35 on the hards? And you're like, move. I mean, in theory, yes, when they're competitive, but yeah, you're right.

I mean, Alonso did a lot of laps on the hard tire, if I remember correctly. And before his suspension failure, he was in the points. And going to finish there from Pit Lane. And of course, Leclair did, I don't. remember what lap LeClaude putting on but it was hard to follow folks yeah we were confused sometimes we were trying yeah I'm with that with Hamilton they brought him in slightly earlier because they were like Bonner was like you do five more laps and Hamilton was like no I'm struggling Bono and then just to prove his point he decided to run wide yeah just

yeah I see that Bono yeah I'm struggling for real um so then they brought him in two laps later for his first stop, which, I know it's only a few laps. Three laps can be the difference. But it's, yeah, it's like they're not giving themselves more of that chance to do the one-stop better because Hamilton hates his tires. Just want to say, though, I think,

and we discussed this, Ben, I think that race was a bit of an underrated banger. I love the competition of the stops. I love the fact that, you know, multiple teams fighting through. Two seconds at the end, two thousand seconds. And the qualifying, and I'm not talking, saying about the sprit itself, but because we basically get two qualifiers in a row, right, the spring the series is against another qualifying.

Both of those were equally very exciting to watch as well. It was a good weekend for racing. I mean, we'll get into our thoughts on the sprint race in a little bit, but certainly looking at the main race today, like it was, and it will be one to watch back, obviously, from our perspective. We've got a slightly biased point of you. I don't know. I felt it was strategically one of the better races of the year,

even if like the outright on-track action wasn't, you know, might not have been up to, scratch with a few of the post-summer break races we've had. Yeah. Certainly from an overall race, you always knew it was going to end with the strategies coming together last few laps. And this is that a little bit of the flavour

of what we've spoken about many times with the tyres, isn't it? Of, you know, the softs being mega-fast. Multiple strategies, strategies, variations where with five or six laps to go, they all converge into one plate and you go, right, now we're going to see who's really got the cut of the mustard. And we kind of saw it coming together today. Yeah. It was fun.

I think we knew as, well, I felt like as soon as we got to like 10 laps in, Verstappen hadn't flown through the field. Yeah, yeah. Good point. And the like sort of management that was going, well, you kept saying it, Ben, because Norris was holding Hamilton off at like three seconds for basically forever. Yeah. And then you sort of thought, oh, this is, this is all going to come together.

Yeah. It's going to come together at the end of it. And it did. Obviously, not with Norris, which is a bit of shame, but the other two. I mean, you give that, I think, I think the ultimate. would have been one more lap for that battle on front. Because I don't, I personally think, I don't think Lewis Hamilton would have got by.

Maxper's happened. But I think it would have been DRS territory, getting close to, can I make a wild lunge. Have a little lunge. You know we're seeing those cars drive straight off the racetrack. As mentioned, we were at 10-12, so again, probably a bit biased on this. But it would have been very...

We saw a few cars take a slightly wider line going off the track there. A bit like Brazil would have ventured onto the lone star that was painting onto the ground over there. I already know the answer to my next question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Would you like to review bold predictions? It's been so much fun.

We've got to go out, man. We've got to get on with it. I'm having a beer, it's a good time. We can't. Fortunately, it won't take very long to wrap up. Oh, thank goodness. We've got all right, yeah? We revealed our...

It's actually pretty classic. live show and we've put together possibly our worst ball predictions at the year. horrendous. Under the pressure of the crowd. Sam, yours was obviously different from mine and Harry's that were fairly similar. You said the Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri would finish first and second and I don't think you disagree with this. You might have got carried away with a live crowd on that.

I said it at the live. They cheered for you and you were like, yes. More cheers. I'm the fan favourite. I will keep going. Yeah, I was wrong. I mean, you know, Landon of Doris was in the fine. There was a glimmer of hope at one point there was.

And Piastri was sick at one point, overtaking a lot of cars. I thought he's coming, the McLaren's good, and then he didn't work. A two D&F rather than a one, too. Oh, I should have said that. Anyway, that's not the worst one. No, no, everyone. What were yours was? Well, um, Hasse were bringing upgrades this weekend.

Yeah. And we'll get on to that in a little bit. Goods just, pre-heated the oven. Let a has cook. Nothing. You guys? Your predictions. Goodness me.

We said that, well, I said that Hasse would have a double top 10 finish. Harry went even more bold than that and said top eight, doesn't really matter. We could have said top 14. Still been wrong. Even with all the disqualifications, I still think that's wrong. They were good in practice. FP1, mate. FP1 was great.

I was feeling pretty confident. How often do we actually take FP1 as gospel? I know, but on a sprint weekend, you've got to go out there and they're like I was like, oh my lord, it's happening. And then they did not get it. I was, I was a little nervous for Williams this weekend because I was like, Hasse are going to bring these upgrades and they're going to, you know, put Williams this,

is it the seventh place in jeopardy? No. And Williams have come away with three points. Guess who else got a point? I should have said Logisarge. You should have said Logisarge, you didn't. But we were so horribly wrong. Abakai out, folks.

Abakai out, because I know everyone has multiple abacus around the world. And you don't need to move it whatsoever. Let's take our first short break. On the other side, we'll be discussing, Oh no, Ferrari. Oh, dear. Okay, welcome back. Let's talk about Ferrari.

Oh, no. Grazie, ragazzi. Oh, dear. No, grazie. No, regatsy. Um, hey, third place. Six place.

We, we're gratzy hard if it's a Friday. Hey, I bought a Ferrari cap on Friday. A child. And it worked great. Hold on camera. Camera watches. Oh, we're actually going to get this thing. It's a live reveal of the cap.

Yeah, yeah. I need the cap on Friday. That's what I got. I was manifesting a Lecler pole position. Something in front of mine, at least next to you. Yeah, go on next to it. Yeah, lovely. And it worked.

He got pole position on Friday. He was looking pretty good. And Sony, I think all three of us said this on Saturday in the sprint race that we'll get onto it a bit. there were a few worrying signs about Ferrari and their race pace and overall tire wear. Sorry, Kirsty's just trying to open something about making a noise. Your beers over there. Shorts her monster.

She's got a can of monster. Beer and monster. That's what Kirstie's all about. Honestly, do we leaving Engfield on a council estate? Pretty much. Anyway, yeah, Ferrari. So their race pace and their tire wear. If you want to open that any ladder, Kirsty.

It wasn't good. Jesus. No, it was terrible. So, oh no. Can you tell whether we've not really watched the race properly? I mean, oh no. We've been so hot. No, can be, I'm sorry. They split their strategies and neither of them worked brilliantly.

Yeah, no, it was an idea. LeFle's was terrible. I'd like to say after the sprint race yesterday, whatever, but where the Cluel was. really slow. He lost, was it like, nine seconds in 19 laps.

The Stapton was eating into him. Yeah. It was clear that their tire wear was not good and it meant that we were less confident about his pole position. So Ferrari were like, let's put one on a one stop instead.

Honestly, you know that your car chews through tyres. It's not as bad as the hearse, but it's not good and it overheats them a lot. And they were running this skinny rear wing type setup to make sure they could be ever taking a straight line. Why would you go one stop and then burn through your type, only to peritise that you got on?

Is it, I mean, is this a setup issue or is this like a car characteristic issue in that people to Singapore? I think it's a car characteristic issue. And that's famously quite hard on this, I don't know. I think it's, I wonder if the compounds that get used, certain ones suit them much better than others. I wonder if this track carry the ones that don't. Yeah, I don't understand.

And I feel like it's a similar thing with Hats, isn't it? They just, I mean, Hats are all consistently bad of their tyres. Yeah, Ferrari do a few things, okay. Okay, okay. I don't know, I don't think it's a setup thing, but it's something around that car that maybe they are getting into the weekends and they've set it up and sometimes it works and then set it up and sometimes it doesn't.

But, yeah, they're terrible. Yeah, they are really bad. So why would you opt to go for a one-start when you know that your biggest weakness is tire away? I don't know. They seem to be, they seem to be all right on a straight line. They, again, referring to the spring race a bit, but certainly Carlos Sines proved on the, oh, we're going to get on to this, the only runner on the soft tire. He was difficult to overtake, at least later on in that grombray, wasn't he?

So he was the goat for that one to five. I think that Carlos Sings actually, oh God, I'm sorry, folks, been singing and talking all weekend. I think he just defended brilliantly. they? I, yeah. I just don't know what they could have done. But from first place, I know Shao Clair technically was disqualified, but for him to essentially reverse positions with what Vastappen's done in the, I think right here, Vastappen started sixth, finished first. LaClair started first, finished sixth. That ain't great. Converted it. Converted it into a one six. I love that. Yeah.

How have you made a car that is so brilliant over a one-lap pace, but then it's dire at the actual thing that provides you with points? Because I think with Charles Leclair, like the pace was legitimate in the, I know Vestappen had a lap time deleted in qualifying that would have seen him onto Palt, but that would have only been by... Less than a tenth. Half-tenth, five, five, possibly. So it's not like you can turn around and the narrative is, well,

Vestappen gets that lap. time in and it's fine and Red Bull have major quality pace and race pace. Ferrari were legitimately there over one lap. They were legitimately there. And others? Yeah. In the race, though, they were absolutely nowhere. And I'm scratching my head as to why. It makes no sense. I wonder if Ferrari are real victims with the Sprink set up, the one practice thing. I wonder if they're having a lot reassurance time to really work it out. But there's a fast car there, though. Yeah, fundamentally there is, of course.

They're a third in the championship for a reason. But like it's an actually fast car because it can get a pole position, but then it can also not do a race. Yeah, it's very strange. But I mean... You think they suffered from lack of practice time compared to others? Well, you look at Qatar, right, as well.

Again, they regularly fell backwards. Russell was able to make the most of both sessions. Hamilton was quick, and then he obviously didn't take part in the race properly. McClaring was able to maximise what they were doing, as was Max Rastapen across the whole sprint weekend. So I just think that historically, Ferrari need a lot of prep time. I think they need to get their haze around things. Interesting theory.

Good thing we've got no more spring. Uh-oh. We don't have one next time out at least. Also, Pet Peeve, this is one of me. One of the graphics that they rang whilst we were on track on the big screens, they were showing all the locations of the sprint races. Yeah. And they put USA before Qatar and it just irritated me.

How have you got the calendar wrong? Your own calendar? USA happened after Qatar. It comes after Qatar on the calendar. Why, you get it wrong? It's. Idiots. Idiots.

Another, well, I'd say team, Piafrey didn't really show, have the chance to show what he was capable of in the Grand Prix itself. But Lando Norris obviously led for a good chunk of the Grand Prix early on, but faded quite a lot late on in that he finished third on the race track. he'll obviously claim a P2 in terms of the actual classification. But we're talking earlier about Lewis Hamilton strategy. It felt like it didn't really matter what Lewis Hamilton strategy was. He still would have beaten Lando Norris probably.

Were you surprised to see them fade so much? Yes. I really thought Norris was going to be a proper threat today. And he was for a bit. Yeah. And then he wasn't. I think he looked like a threat at the start as he's as a, we said, and as you pointed out, he was really managing.

And even when Vastappen was behind him, he sort of was maintaining that gap. But just towards the end of that first stint, it started to teeter off for him. And I was like, oh. You saw the gap to Hamwitton come right down, right? Well, first of all, it was Vastappen. It was, Wistappen who was closing it.

But the Scorius was leading, Hamilton, and got back into second place. And the gap was coming down and down. Whoever was. Yeah. It, from there and in, I was like, oh, they're on the back foot a bit here. Now, they didn't. Yeah. It sounds weird, but it's almost like,

I think the Grand Prix itself was 56 laps. 56? Like, if it was, let's say, I don't know, 48 laps and it was like 16, 16, 16 on the tires? They didn't have been fine. Yeah. I've not said it. But they would have been all right.

Yeah, it was like the end of each stint. Yeah, yeah. The end of the stint seemed to be off. Which is a weird one because I don't know, it looked like they had decent pace in the bar, I guess the sprint and that was 19 laps. Yeah. Yeah.

But I don't know. Yeah. I thought they were, I mean, Norris gave it a good go, didn't he? But I guess maybe the writing was on the wall yesterday with Piastri, who is less experience and his pace in the sprint was bad. Oh, it was bad. It was bad. And I think that was a tie. And now looking back, that was probably the attire thing for them.

So, interesting one. Yeah, I'm not saying he's lucky to get P2 because he was there in it all race. But you're right. he was the third quickest car today. I also think they completely mucked up their hard running time. I thought they brought him in too early in comparison to how strong he was on the hard tire. And then towards the end of his medium sting,

he really fell off because the wear fell off so quickly. So you started on medium, so then the second stint on the hard tires, do you think you should have run longer on that? Yeah, yeah, because I managed to get the convictory in my year, which the boys, obviously, you couldn't really hear it very well. But the comicry team, F1 TV that were running, they were really confusing.

when saw Norris come into the pits how quickly he got back in the pits again. Obviously, they had decided to change their strategy to prevent the undercut from Vastappen. That's what they tried and done. They were trying to fight for Stappen's two-stop. They basically made the Mercedes choice before Mercedes had made it.

And they ran their hard tyres in such a short window, which I think actually MacLaren was very good on that if they had tried to extend and then give them more tire life to their medium compounds at the end, it might have been a bit of a better, maybe not against Vastan who I think had the legs on them, but he might have put up a bit of fight against Hamilton

but by the end of that race he was what 10 seconds back from Hamilton? Yeah, to Harry's part I mean it kind of it happened about realising didn't it like the gap in that one second he was being overtaken and it's fairly similarish pace

and then all of a sudden oh even stuck with this happened for a bit after we got overtaken him and I was like oh well maybe he this is a battle we're going to have and then and then no yeah turn 12 at one point it was like he's right behind right behind. Yeah, yeah.

And then all of a sudden, towing him along, right? You kind of see the staffing a Hamilton come past and then you look to the left, you're like, he's still not in, oh, there he is.

Stappen mugged him off a little bit with his overtake too. Oh, that's a great overtake. Yeah, salsy. I know this says, this is a really obvious statement. You really appreciate

a proper dive bomb so much more in person. Yeah. They are phenomenally good. But, oh, dive bombs into turn 12 or indeed anywhere,

you need to not force of the other driving. Yeah, that came up a lot. I may not just of, yeah, not just a static comment, by the way. A few times, up and down the ground. I imagine that some of them weren't showing on the telly, just because, you know, how they filmed the back of the grid.

Was it the hard but fair? That's what, apparently that's what came on the radio. One of the commentators said, the FIA have kind of apparently said to someone that it was a harsh but fair move. He wasn't on the track when the move was being finished, but sure. Greatest dive bomb of the weekend, which is obviously a new segment we're doing now.

Yeah. Greatest dive bomb of the weekend. Beautiful. Lance Drol on Daniel Ricardo in the Supreme. Oh my God, loves you boy. He is sent it. And it was phenomenal. It was from Miles back.

Literally, I think he sent it from turn 11. Lance Stroll now has like 500 fans. They are all sat at turn 12. I think he can start as a mail company. Because honestly, he sent it enough on that one. Delivery first class. And made a stick. and didn't run him off the road.

No issues, fair move. He bought 10 stamps. He was being sure. Also, fair play to... I mean, Ricardo left the door, but fair play to him because from that distance, it wouldn't be hard to turn into the corner

thinking that you're going to make the corner. But Lance planting it, it's fantastic. Anyway, so Ferrari and McLaren, do you think there's any, I don't know if concerns the right word, but do you think they've still got a lot to do to compete with, I say the likes of Vastappen,

but I really mean only Vastappen. Do you think that they've... This race almost proved that they're getting there, but also got a lot of... A lot still to do. They are getting closer. The last couple of races have not been easy for Vastappen. Yeah, true.

He's still won, obviously. But it does... And I'm not saying this, you know, it's rebel or wash now, but it's getting more difficult for Vastappen than it has been. I think that then that's reflected also and a pair of his own.

separate issue, but reflected because I think Perez actually had a horrendous race today, but it's just like the natural gap back between Fustapin and Perez, means that Perez is now falling into this sort of middle of the top 10 battle, not often. Which is every team apparently these days. Which is whoever decides to turn up each weekend. But because of that, I think that proves that these teams aren't now getting a bit closer. McLaren especially, but Mercedes with some upgrades this weekend, which I think has been publicly said, it's definitely.

next year, as in their testing bits for next year. Well, at least for Hamilton, worked pretty well until they were illegal. It was happy as well. It was a new flaw, the irony. It's a millimeter thing. I was actually going to say that it felt like the first weekend in a long time that Mercedes were kind of the second fastest team in race pace. But, I mean, actually it was more Hamilton that was the second fastest in race place.

Russell was really off of it this weekend. Russell, Hamilton oversook Norris, and then Russell was like, did a fastest slap and was like, I'm still here. Yeah, that was the other bit about Russell. It was like, yeah, because he wasn't on the pace. And then he did a fastest lap. I'm like, oh, doesn't matter when you get to get it. Oh, man.

We'll get to that. We'll get for that. We enjoyed that. We will get to that indeed. We'll take our second short break. We'll be right back after this. I've got to turn the camera off. Yes, of course you do.

Yes. Okay, let's move on to Hasse and Ashton Martin. Two fairly random teams you might be thinking. but they did have something in common this weekend. They both sucked. No, they had one thing in common this weekend, which is they bought upgrades, which, I don't know, it seemed like a bit of a surprise,

but Cota did seem like a place where quite a few teams decided to bring some upgrades, but I think Hasse and Aston Martin were at the upper end of the amount that they were bringing. They didn't really work. We've already discussed how badly the Hasse bowl prediction went for myself and to Harry Ead, but we haven't discussed. as to Martin, yet both cars started in the pit lane. Fernando Alonzo deciding to go back to the old

spec car, which was used at Qatar, Landstrel staying with the new one. Yeah, I mean, Fernando Alonzo retired in the end, but it seemed to work okay during the Grand Prix, but obviously they were such a disadvantage on where they were starting qualifying pace-wise. It didn't really matter all that much. And now McLaren are officially ahead of Aston Martin in the Constructors' Championship. So, Sam, what did you think of both of those teams' weekends? Whoa, we're starting in the pit lane. Whoa. Look, and Sargent was loving it.

All right. More van der boys. More vanquoise. Finger breaking. Our new club mix. I blame. Yeah, I know that that scupid person over there, loves singing it on the bus.

Chomping on a pizza right now. Anyway, off camera. Jumping away. Anyway, right. Hars and Ashton Martin. Big disagree with you, Ben, on whether Asking Martin's Upgrades actually works. I think they got the setup wrong going into... Upgrades, works, setup was wrong.

I agree. That's what Mr. Crack said. Yeah, and I think that is entirely right. Mike Crack nailed it, because I think it's not funny. Children, I see you're giggling. You crack nailed it. Your crack nailed it. I think that you look at where Lance Stroh was,

and I think we're all in a fair understanding, right, that Fernando O'Donso generally is the better of the two drivers. I was at Aston Martin. Hard disagree. Okay, good. And Lant Stroll was not immediately right behind him, but I feel like it's the closest that Lant Stroll has been, for, at least it's the summer break, if not before that.

I think this has been, I know he's had better overall results, but I think this has been Lantz Stroll's best Grand Prix of the season. I think Bahrain was better. Okay, I think it's a fair, but it's a fair, fair, right? And I think the new setup was working. And while Alonso you're right was just ahead, I think if Alonso had the same setup that Lance had with the new car, I think he might have been further than that.

As both Askins dig pit lane to points. It felt comfortable. They were in there well before the end of the race. And of course, Alonso had the suspension failure, which is a shame. But Lance now picks up to more places with the DSQs that have taken place. So it's all from, what, ninth to seventh? I believe so. So that's what, six points?

And also Gassley's sixth. Whoa! We love team. Wars. That's not cool. I'm very happy. Come on. I've had a lovely time. Anyway, back to Oscar Martin. So I think these are the first upgrades for a while for Askin

Martin that genuinely could take some hold that could work. It felt positive. And I'm, you know what? Larks is like a bad cut of weeks. And he mucked up. He's hurt someone. He's been a bit of a poo. So... Your big practice. Barely at any practice time. Any practice time. And then

he nails a pit lane to points. And he did it brilliantly. He tried to do it from the grid still, but... Oh, yeah, you know, he just got away with that one. And then, as we've already mentioned, he bloody planted it on Daniel Ricardo. He's one of the harder people to plant one on. So, I think Aston Martin are a bit of a success story here that have gone under the radar a little bit. Now, harsh, on the other hand, they're going to prison for being fraud.

Straight to jail. You are impostors, and you don't deserve to be on the grid. Oh, we brought the most upgrades we've ever brought to a Grand Prix. Why didn't they work then? Oh, who is testing these? Are we testing them? They're copying Red Bull, but all they did was they just looked at a Red Bull and were like, that

that worked. They saw one of their toy cars on Amazon. What, the 2014 Red Bull? Yeah, apparently. And they went, oh, this toy car on Amazon is a bit expensive. Let's, where else can we get ours from? Oh, we'll get it from Wish. So we bought the Red Bull from Wish and it's turned up and it's rubbish.

So, no, terrible. And I found it really funny the whole weekend that you two have had so much optimism in hearts who have literally not done anything good since Australia, 2019. pain. Yeah, you've got a fair point, though. It was bad, wasn't it? I don't know.

From Hasse's perspective, they should have done better. It was, yeah. It's made it worse. At least it was a qualifying car. Now it does nothing. Yeah, I think the worst thing from Hasa's perspective is, and they probably have this most racist, to be fair, in person as well. But they were just never not on the back foot.

Like, they were never the car that was looking to overtake another car. But they were always under pressure. Like, even when it came to no discipline, I mean, Logan Sargent was pressurizing hash drivers, which, you know, if that's happening, something's probably gone quite wrong with your car. So I don't understand. They even use, I think they ended up using this session as a test session in all honesty. but I hope they learned something because I didn't. Oh, I don't think anyone learned anything from that.

We learned their rubbish still. Magnuson had an all right start. It didn't matter. Still at the back. I just don't get how you could be this, you know, this clever out, this much money, this much funding, this much experience and are still getting it categorically so wrong.

Do you remember when they didn't develop their 2021 car? For a whole freaking year. And it worked for a race. Literally. And then they went, we're not bringing any more upgrades for this season now. You know,

that's exactly, exactly the same as BMW 2008. Worked. Robert Kubis should have been World Champion that year. Oh my God. Yes. Well,

and then they, Nick Heidfeld. Or Nick Heidfeld. One of them should have been. And then they turned up in 09 with a absolute part of garbage. And then left F1. So, bye.

Can you come back, please. BMW? I quite like it. Oh, yeah. I'm with you. I think the Ashton Martin ones upgrades, they obviously just went the wrong way. Do you know what?

Is it a bit jury's out at this point? You want to see what Mexico brings? I think Alongso threw a pad in you. I think he threw a hissie, think he'd go get wrong. I know it rarely happens, but I think he'd go get wrong. If Mark Strz was able to do that. I don't even know if that was Alonzo's choice. I feel like they genuinely were a little bit lost

and were like, well, let's use this as a test session. Which makes sense to have a back-to-back. Well, the only thing is, so Alonzo with the older car was outpowering, outperforming, outperforming, Strull with the new car now as you said on the balance of would accept Alonso is better

than the newer car you'd say the newer car probably is going to be a better car which is a good thing Yeah great thing long term good thing This race not good thing And actually I would have been As you pointed out Ben I would have been really intrigued

if they'd actually started Even at the back end of the top 10 as to where they would have them been because I think Alonzo before a suspension failure was chasing down Gasly Stroll right at the end was chasing down Gasly they could have been they could have been 7, 8th,

and then after the disqualifications, they could be 5th and 6. Exactly. So, yeah, jury's out, but I'd say they obviously just went the wrong way at the start of the weekend. And that's the, I guess, the risk of introducing new stuff

at a sprint weekend, because you kept enough time to change it. We were lucky enough, again, thanks partially to your connections, Harry, to have a little tour around the Askin Martin Paddock. Yeah, we went in their garage. And they were very lovely, very kind.

And we got talking. to them and they did say that they're in a bit of a catch-22 situation where they want to bring up grades at Qatar but it's a sprint weekend because you only get one session, it's a nightmare. So you bring them at Kota. It's another sprint weekend. But if you don't bring them a master-martin jumping, then they've already jumped you. And if they don't work, then you spend a lot of money and it's a nightmare.

It could be a lose-lose situation or they get away with it. They get a little bit lucky and hang on a minute, they're onto something, but it's a bit put luck. So that's why they chose to run the two different cars back to back to really see, are they on to something for the final four or five races of the season. Just a side note on that one, we went to there, into the garage and both the cars were being sort of basically rebuilt. Lance Trull's car was on the jacks.

It had no rear end. The engine was there, but not attached. And it was about three hours before the race. Now, I'm not saying, though, this is an issue, but that's just ridiculous. 20 past 11, it was in about 1,000 pieces. Half-plus 1, it was on the grid. And also, they're very chill about that. They're all just like, they had music on.

Yeah, they were kind of four. like not interacting fully with us, but they were aware that we were there and they were kind of like, yeah, what's going on? Yeah. Anyway, so jury's out on that, but yeah, ha's, blimey.

Blimey. I just, that's, that's a real worry because... Remember the conversation about why they deserve to be on the grill and not Andretti? Well, anyway, we're not going to that now. But even, well, maybe it could be a set-up thing. Let's say, let's presume it's not.

You say that. They're starting in the pit lane for that reason. Yeah, and they were still bad. Both are bad. If this is their biggest upgrade and they're trying to go down the Red Bull route, that's not looking good. I mean, that's just going to be five or four or how many ever races we've got left. That's going to be that many test sessions, isn't it?

Yeah. We've heard what Mercedes is doing, James Allison said, I don't care about the car anymore. Everything that is happening is now only for 2024. Hars should be doing the same thing. You're struggling this much. How do you get ahead? You know, five races isn't going to change their season.

It won't make a big difference. Get ahead for next season. Start nailing that early. Can you imagine if Huss had a car this year that actually could do a race, Holkenberg would have so many points. I wouldn't be surprised if he was scraping top 10 in the championship. Holkenberg has, and I don't have the stats to back this up, Holkenberg has qualified, roughly speaking, as well as an Alpine has this year.

Yeah. Right? And both Alpine drivers have scored regular-ish points. This sounds even more obscene. Does he have as many Q3 appearances as Perez? Probably not quite. It's not far off. I mean, it's not going to be...

Six or seven? Perez has nine. I don't know. He's done a good job. Yeah. Hasse upgrades-wise or downgrades, I don't have too much. more to say on it other than they didn't work. Astor Martin, I do agree with you. I want to see how it works in Mexico and following races. I think that the point here is that they have to work in

qualifying because they seem to work in the Grand Prix itself. But if they don't work in qualifying as well, it's kind of for nothing. Because even if, you know, Landstrol made a great recovery today, I completely agree with you on that. But it's still not worth a lot when your nearest rival in the championship is securing a P2 on the podium. So they have to answer these qualifying issues as well. And yes, they both started from the pit lane, but that's only because they wouldn't have started much worse than that if they were on the grid itself. Were they 16th and 18th? You know, double Q1. 19. Yeah, there you go. So, yeah. I mean, the difference again between Hars and Askin, I trust Ashton. They nailed it at the start of this season. They know how to develop an upgrade and

it works. It fell apart because they didn't keep developing, but they know what works. and they were right about it. They've got one wrong so far. Then that was the one over the summer break. I think this will be okay. I trust them more than Haas, but that's a low benchmark. I trust a lot of things more than Haas.

Okay. Let's move on. Oh, my God, what's happened. Good Lord. We're sorry, listeners. You've received a message. What? Nothing is...

I'm sorry. I don't know what that is. This message is. You join the Discord. The links in the description. Yeah. Actually moving on from that. Harry, you experienced the sprint race in person.

How was it? Friggin' awful. Oh. It was rubbish. No. It was... Racing can't be bad when you're in person. Just to clarify that.

That is such a fair point. It's really hard for it to be bad in person. I'd say, I said this to you today. There was so much action where we were at 1012 that you just was not on the TV. because I told I text my dad about this I think about a move maybe it was a strong move

and they're right oh I've not seen that and there was another battle at the end towards the end with Sonoda and Magnuson which started at turn 12 and ended at turn 1 there was side by side

for the whole thing none of that was shown and that was a brilliant battle so I think you you missed some of that from the sprint race but yeah

you point to this out, Ben, we've had some pretty good sprint races this year due to other factors. Miticating circumstances. Things like that. And this has just brought it back down to earth that actually they suck.

Whether we're qualifying, lapsed being found to be sex, the crack limits. This was the first one that was entirely normal. And Vastapa made this point after the race. Again, he's won another thing and he's still berating it. You can't say he's just being,

like he's being uppity because, oh, I ever won this. No, he's winning and still complaining. He's the first person that deserves to complain. And he's right. And his point was, if you were a fan, you would be disappointed because you've seen a snapshot, basically, of what tomorrow will bring, what, i.e. Sunday will bring.

And it's right. We then knew Vestappan was going to be good. He was. He was. We knew Ferrari were going to be bad. They were. We knew Hats were going to be bad. They were.

They absolutely were. Snapshot of McLaren's tire issues from Piastri. Yep. Very true. Like, we know how some of the race is going to play out because of this. It's like having a little sample size of the race, which for me takes the... So you go to a supermarket and they're doing those like little... Yeah, little tasters.

...taste because of like some kind of new bread or something. You go, I like that. Well, I ate the whole loaf. They taste the whole loaf. Is that I? Same, isn't it? Exactly the same, but bigger. Yeah.

Same but bigger. Same but bigger. That's what main races are. For God's sake, without the stress category, which was the most exciting part of the main race. Yeah.

I imagine as well, we actually probably had, as you already mentioned in your point, fairly, a bit of a shining light version of the sprint race because we were watching a better version.

Because we watched the highlights on the way back in the Uber last year. There were four highlights on the Uber trip. Four, like one, two, five, 11, the race ended.

Yeah, it was rubbish. Yeah. Conclusion, no. The video was only six biggest. Do you also conclude no, Sam? Yeah, this was by far the worst one we've seen. And it shows that I think Alex Jakes, who we are big fans of,

was really trying to big it up on the commentary over the race today on F1 TV. He was really saying, you know, you never know what Formula One throws up. People were moaning that this was going to be exactly the same copy and paste as it was. And I think, okay, the overall end result wasn't exactly the same.

but Harry, you're already correctly diagnosed, I feel, the key strengths and weaknesses that were going to take place. If you were to bet on this finishing grid, I don't think you'd have been too far wrong. So I don't want that. I don't want predictability. I don't want repeats. I don't want a copy and pace.

It's boring. And as much as I love that people are on the track get to see more action, and you can't say we didn't enjoy seeing more cars on the track. That was fun, and I respect that opinion, and that's fine. Watching it from the telly, and for most people who won't get to go to Grand Prix regular, it takes up your time from not a lot of reward

and we're busy people and people have things to do on their weekends and seeing another hour long thing, not worth it. Qualifying was good again this weekend. Both times. Unfortunately, it was on the Friday where there's not as many people there watching. And we know for a fact because we were there on Friday and then versus today and Saturday,

there are a lot more people there today. We have a lot of space on Friday. I mean, we're not going to get into this today, but the Cota race organiser or maybe PR team. I can't remember exactly, but essentially saying that spring races

haven't brought more tickets in. Yeah. I mean, it was close because obviously LeCler picked up pole for the main spring and then Hamilton,

another main racer area and Hamilton was close on both sections. And in the spring, he was 0.0.69 behind Max Verstappen who, remember, Hamilton was third.

So there's another car in that gap as well. Yeah, it just shows how good, so much, mess with qualifying. I think to your, To your point, Harry, the sprint race yesterday was standard in that like there were no other circumstances going on.

So you could just get a pure sprint race. And today's actual race was exactly the same. Green flag, it was a pure race. There were no safety cars, no VCs. There were no yellow flags. Like it was just a pure race. Today's was entertaining. Yesterday's wasn't.

And to go back to your point, Harry, what you said like two minutes into this review, multiple strategies. They're fun, but you don't get multiple strategies in spring races because they're over and there's no tire switches. Like, of course you're going to get this sort of result. A fair play to Carlos Sines,

who I can only assume for entertainment only. Did it literally for the banter. He did it for the content, and for that I am a Carlos Sines fan. But he was the only driver who opted to go for something that wasn't the medium tire because, you know,

medium tire was the obvious choice. And on reflection, Carlos Sines had to do quite a bit of defending in order to keep one position lower than what he qualified in. Yeah. So short story, it didn't work. At least he tried it. It's so different. He tried something different.

So, yeah, I mean, the sprint race itself, as mentioned, you can't have a bad time when you're watching racing live. But, and I was curious to see after, because I was like, I'm not sure that would have translated very well onto television, scroll through Twitter. Ah, yeah, it didn't. But yeah, this was... I would be very curious to hear what you lot,

who weren't at the track, thought of the main Grand Prix, because the three of us enjoyed it. I thought it was good. I enjoyed the strategy gentleman. It was all of all you said this. It won't repeat it. But there might be some people

who think it's not all our action. It's not all out fighting. it's not for you. But I'll be curious, you know. I was at our live show on Thursday. It was, I don't know, I said 40, 60% in favor. That's pretty fair. Not in favour of sprint races, but 40 who did.

It was a relatively even split. I love a chap who was quite indifferent. That was so funny. It's a great year. I'm a different. Yeah, but I just don't know what, the sprint race itself was just so, strip everything away and this is what it is.

And what it is is quite dull. Do you know what it is? Crap. Oh, that's a great point to a day. As you say, today, lap 10, you knew that the end of this race was going to be a lot of fun. You just take that, just take that into the sprint race and get rid of the fun bit. But that's what it is. Like, I'm not saying the first 20 laps of today's race was frilly.

It was good, but it wasn't. That's a number three count for Ben hitting his watch on the table. Yeah, it's good fun. Oh, four, five, six. Let me do it a bit closer to the mic. Oh, yeah, keep doing it. The list, because I love it, that. Yeah, I'll love that.

I'll take it off. If we've got luxury about 10 minutes after this show, I'm so sorry. As I take my watch off, we're going to have a short break. I'm going to restart the camera. Oh, hang on, no, no, no. We need to drive her at the day first. Oh, yeah? Yeah, yeah.

Okay. This is a real organised mess. Who's your driver of the day, Harry? I'll go for... He was really good. I mean, Fitztapping was really good. He was. He's always really good, though.

You forget he worked his way from sixth. Yeah, really easily. Valid point. Um, all right, I'll go for Stapen then. It's a very fair shout. I think I was going to blame you for that. Yeah, he did very well. I shout out to Logan Sargent because I know he was slightly gifted the points at the end.

But he, he... It was his best race of the season. I think, I think that's a very fair shout for that. Best race. Yeah, because he was only... Six, seven seconds, I think. Well, yeah, it was seven seconds and then album got a penalty

so it was far, it was two. And you've got to remember that Sergeant's like at the back of the grid, the album was a couple of places already in front of them in the start. To be that close? Smashed it. Yeah, and shout out to the Asston drivers,

both of them, because I thought they did quite well, but I'll go first happen. Sam? Speaking of the Asking Drivers, Frank Stroll. Oh, yes. Of the day.

I think I've ever given it to Lance Stroll before. I'll have to check the record books on that. Ben loves a good record book. But I think you're probably right. Honestly, pit lane to points after that disaster of what felt like a car, he had no practice timing it as well. The rebuild took place.

Also didn't have any confidence in it, but Lance got what probably initially felt like the wrong end of the stick. And he worked on that strategy with the team. He made some great overtakes. He was bold with it, sensible at the same time. And he's been rewarded with ninth place, which I think was great from the pit lane for any car that basically isn't Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes or McLaren. So fantastic turnaround.

And he's got even more points because of the disqualifications, which I actually think he deserves. He's had a rubbish time brought on by himself. But that doesn't mean he doesn't get the chance to redeem it and come out stronger. So he deserves the credit. Agreed on the shout-out to Logan Sargent. Certainly, after what Qatar brought,

that is a tremendous turnaround. So, well done. But I'm not going to give it to him. I also want to give a half shout-out to Pierre Gasly because I don't think he could have done it. anymore. He Gazzle did nothing wrong all we can. Yeah, he did nothing wrong.

The only reason I half shout it out is that Estaban Ocon did out-qualify him and might have beaten him if he actually... Gassel he out-qualified him for the main qualifying. It was six and seven. It was up by side, but Gassie was... Was Ockon ahead early on? Yes, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

So Ockon was... Sorry, Ockon was ahead early on. So I would have been interested to see if he was able to maintain that. But... So that's why I want to half shout him out. Vastappen was very good because F1. I also want to... No, I'm going to give him the drive of the day.

I'm going to go with it. Yuki Sanoda. Take place, right? Which is actually our eighth place. We're the fastest lap. And he smashed Angu, Ricardo to pieces. Fair play. To be fair, Ricardo did have a broken car.

Yeah, right. And a broken car, first race back as well, is a tough grand prix to get involved with, but that doesn't stop Yuki delivering. I thought he did a good job. He didn't do a good job. And he didn't do that once in a lot. and properly, he stepped up.

Worst driver of the day. Kevin Magnuson. You said that with deliverance. I mean, the hat convinced I've ever seen you. The hat was bad. It was. But Kaman made it look even worse. Kama making the bad.

At least Hulk, oh my God. Sorry, everyone. He's assaulted the table. Ben's hitting the table with his watch. And he was kicking it. At least Holkenberg finished ahead of the Alpha-Romeo's. It was a small win, but we take small wins here. But he was further up the road than K-Mag was.

And K-Mag was also bad in the sprint yesterday. Yeah. K-Mag, sorry, mate. You were bad. Oof. Yeah, might be K-Mag, actually. You're going K-Mag as well? The thing is, I don't think anyone else was disastrously bad.

George Russell was quite slow. Hey, spoiler alert. That was going to be my other point, I think he's done right being like having an illegal car which he probably does have an legal car actually just they haven't checked it because it's being randomly chosen.

Slight deviation here. Would you not check both the team cars? So am I getting this right? They check four cars at random. I'm shook her for this because I was convinced they checked every car. They checked four cars at random and even if like multiple cars

are in violation of the same thing they don't go and then check the other 16. So you got away with it. You'd at least check at, The, the teammate of that car. You would think so. Ten people in a room are guilty of your thieving.

Well, maybe check the other 40 that are standing there to see if they've done something. No, no, don't worry about them. They've not done anything, but by assumption. The team car surely sunk that should have been checked.

Russell should have been checked. You would think so. So you're going K-Magg? No, I'll shift my name, Russell. Okay. That boy, the guy could have got a pogging. He should have got a podium.

Lewis had the public vote. I know why Norris got the public vote. Really, he was just good. He was just good. That's fine. I just don't think he was driver of the day. He was just good. And I think that Hamilton did a brilliant job,

but I think Russell really dropped the ball this weekend. I'm going to George Russell, and I can't for the life of me to remember what the end gap was between the two Mercedes drivers. Big. But to that point, I remember distinctly saying two-thirds of the way through the Grand Prix to Mr. Reid,

that we always look at Perez and Vastappen's gap and thinking, what's going on here? The gap between Russell and Hamilton, at least at that point, was larger than the gap between Perez and... For whatever reason, we saw this for our qualifying as well. I think Russell was last across the line, potentially sprint qualifying. Did you improve? And you will... And then there was nothing.

Yeah. He just, for whatever reason, and I know Hamilton has always been... He's always been pretty good at Co-Soehl. He loves it. He's never been beating by his team, mate. Never been beaten by his team, man. I never said that. No, no, no.

but Russell never seemed to quite have the pace here. Perez qualified badly for the car, but he made good progress in the race. Yeah. I was happy with the race progress. Any big brain strat, Harry? Fulf, difficult one to really think about because I didn't know what the strategies were.

Tough call. Tough call. I will go for, can it be from yesterday? Yeah, of course it can. You two drank in sync then. That was insane. We are in sync with the same person. We call us Sam Jim.

Okay, well, if I can do it from yesterday, because we're scraping the barrel a little bit because we've been at the race. Collisline starting on the softs in the sprint race. Oh, my God. I swear, my reaction to that. There was no one else. No one else on softs.

We would count, I was sat next to Ben for it, and we were counting and we were like, oh, mediums, mediums, mediums. Soft. Okay. Mediums, mediums, mediums. There was a point, like, five laps in, we're like, oh, no, this ain't gonna work. Because he had a great start and he nailed a couple of people.

And then, yeah, as you say, like lap five in, he started to drop back. You're like, oh, no, no, no, no. And arguably, it wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be. And it was still not great. But, yeah. Yeah, so I'll go for that. I think it wasn't bad because of him. I think it did well tough.

Yeah, I think it did well. My big brain strat was, again, Ferrari-related, so that's two for two so far. I'm going to go with a conversation between Charles LeCler and his engineer when they came over the radio and said Hi, Charles, we're on Plan D Do you want to go to Plan C now? Because it's not really working

And Charles goes, it's like 10 laps from the end, it's too late They're both terrible anyway. Cheers. Brilliant stuff for Ferrari. Love that. Saw a tweet from someone who does another podcast I won't mention their name, but they said one day I'd just like to see Ferrari D Plan A.

Never. I don't have it. I don't think they can skip over it. They start a plan B. I love a bit of she said. Oh, nice. Good reference, aren't it? Yeah, nice.

What about you, mate? Oh, sorry. It's terrible. Really tempted. Great song. I'm also going Ferrari Team Radio, which is, how many more laps,

Shabby? Oh, God. We are extending. Yes, I know, Javi, but it's Ricky, actually. Yes, I know Ricky. But how many laps? We are extending.

God. Give me a goddamn number. My boy Sykes was fuming. How many laps? We're extending. Yep, I know that. But how many more laps? We are extending. I saw a thing on Twitter, by the way, which obviously I haven't heard it.

But it was GP to Max at the end of the race. Because as you say, Max was quite annoyed about the brakes. Yeah, understandably. Yeah. And obviously, he was still one. And GP came with the radio. And it sounded like, but I believe the word should have been part of Fermé. but it sounded like, what a max, I'll see you on Friday.

I'm so annoyed. Go away. I'll see you in Mexico. I need to go to Cabanga for a week. So I saw a few people on Twitter saying, did GP just say he's going to see him on Friday? See you next Friday. I'm going to wait. Bye-bye. Yep. Bye-bye now. I've got a holiday. We've won the title already. I'm going to let somebody else get this job.

Yeah. We're going to have a mini holiday for about one minute while Sam changes the camera and we get onto moment of the race right after this. Camerry, let's just record for 30 minutes at a time. We're doing a risk it for a chocolate biscuit. Kirsty, the taco bell is on the way. It's going to be here in three minutes. Okay, let's move on to Moment of the Race. And we have a return of the Discord submissions.

Obviously, the live show that we did, slight difference in then we had live under pressure submissions, which was, firstly, epic. A lot of banter. And I appreciate we haven't, we sort of touched on the live show a little bit in this. Just to say, thank you. to everyone who showed up for it.

It was one of the most unforgettable nights of my life. I've had the week of my life. Yeah. It's been insane. Sorry to interrupt this, sentiment to think. Kirsty, the Taka-Bel man's here.

Yeah, can you go, go, go, please. Ah, aside. I've got a brook-a-oh. Sorry. But yes, agreed. It's been the most ridiculous weekend ever. Week.

Week. Yeah. Week. That might have been the peak. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so many people have come up to us. Yeah. At the track?

It's been so good to see how many, So many of you. Yeah. It's really great. Most surreal thing is sitting there at the grandstander thing, someone going, can you sign my shirt? Yeah.

But just hearing all of your stories about how you got into F1 and why you're here and how many times you've been to the Grand Prix. Like, it's all epic. So now we get to hear from you again. Because you're back. Yes.

So we're actually getting to Discord moment of the race submissions. But before we do that, we'll give our own moment of the race. Sam, what have you got? Well, you kind of took mind with your big brain's strap was actually the Ricky conversation.

But, you know, so in theory it's that one, but I'd like to raise another one, and it was the absolute postal service, first-class, because of resigning tract that was the sending of Max Verstappling on Landau-Norris, because it was an integral move. It was for, you know, pretty much the league of the race. I know it got a bit frisky in the kind of, you know,

some of a lot of track action, but those two going wheel to wheel, we haven't seen very often. It was a great send. It was fun to walk. We got it right in front of us as well, so I'd beg it look better in real life. I think of digging purse, in it on the TV rather.

But I just love a proper send. Send it's a number send. I love a dive bomb so much. That is actually where late breaking comes from as well is stupid dive bombs. Agreed. So that is, other than the Ricky, Ricky! From these tenders, I think it is. That is my moment with the race.

Harry, your moment of the race. I, we've already mentioned it. I am going to go for Yuki Sonoda, not only getting, well, more points because of this disqualification, but going for the fastest lap on the final lap. Out of freaking nowhere. What did he put those on? When did he put those on?

How was he still 10th? Exactly. Where was he? And how did he get 10th still? Genius. Was he getting first? Yeah. Yeah, that was, we really enjoyed that as he crossed the line there. We were all very confused, but loved it.

Shout out as well, not a shout out for the moment of the race, but also at the end of the race, there was a really, really small gap in between Lecler and Russell. Oh my God, I was fuming. It was about three tents. Honestly, we see it at the timing tower. Yeah. They were not watching it. They were not watching it.

I didn't even know. Yeah. You just brought it up. I had no idea. Yeah. We were literally just like, oh my God, there's three temps between them.

There's three temps between them. We're not on board with them. Why? Is that when we were watching Vastappan just go around as the winner? We watched Vestappan going around, then it cut to like a few people, like pit wall or whatever.

And then it cut to Yuki as it was still going, which obviously is great because we saw them do it. I didn't even know. Ridiculous. It was mad. Incredible. The Commonwealth's ridiculous to pick up on it. No, no one.

It was super close. Didn't matter. Russell got him anyway. Well, I'm glad we were on it. Russell got him for the DSQ. It probably has a broken car as well. All right. My memory of the race.

American National anthem. Oh. You people take it very seriously. You were to see. Oh, it was so good. I thought you were sung along. No. No singing long.

If that was the UK national, honestly. There was a lot of hats off holding them on your hearts. as well. Yeah. I don't think the four of us there really you want to do with ourselves. Nah.

It was not a clue. It was good. Also loved the Rockets Red glare lyric and then you fired a lot of fireworks out of a tower. There were a lot of fireworks and red, white and blue. And a man came out of the sky

with an American flag. You take it all in the daytime. The fireworks aren't particularly effective in the daytime, though. Ever, always. So anyway, good job America. What about our Discord submissions, Harry? Oh, righty, you lot.

I didn't kick off with the big guns, mate. Yeah, well, I'll I'm going to, first up, she's been gagging. She's back because she missed. Gagging too much on this podcast. Thursday and Wednesday or Thursday. It's beef. Who, by the way, so many fans over here.

Honestly, about it through the live show that are like, do I get to hear beef? Yeah. Yeah. They love it. Beef. Hello. Moment of the, oh, I'll give you an update on Wednesday all my life, by the way. Moment of the race is Shuttle, Claire.

in a pole to a B6. Okay, bye! She smashed that off. She smashed that. That was the better version. It got worse than that. Yeah, beef did that before that. The DQ happened.

We're doing this live, by the way. Oh, yeah, yeah. If he's a rubbish. Kirsty was in the shower, so she's not even checked it. She's not proof checked. Bristol, Liam, can only be good. That is so will be great.

Great, lads. I have two moments of the race. One where Hamilton was driven absolutely fine and still despising his tires. Every time. And the second was obviously Max hating his brakes,

hating GP, and hating everything and still winning this race. See you. A couple of winggy boys. Hating everything. The way that Bogo comes on it goes, Hi, Lewis, can you do five more laps?

You're going to go, Bono, this is really tough, goes wide. And then they go to George. George, can you do five one laps? He just goes, yeah. Yeah. Easy. Go on then.

Go on him. Like a puppy, George's. Cheers, Bristol. Him. Next time, all good to always. Highly breaking. Hopefully you guys are having the best time at Cota. Moment of the race.

It's got to be probably that spicy fight with Ferrari. I mean, Charles also saying on the radio. Like, we'll talk after the race. If I were Ferrari, I'd be quaking in my Texas boots. Love you guys, let the podcast. Bye. I think that was going for a minute. Quaking in my Texas boots.

Quaking in my Texas boots. Texas boots. Inferno Jim. Is he on fire? Inferno Jim's on fire. Your podcast is terrified. Firing Jim, here we go. All right, lads.

Jim here. Hi, Jim. Second time submission. First one wasn't played, but it's fine. I'm not bitter. Oh, you've had a lovely time in Cota. For a while. It looks like you're living your best lives.

So I'm going to be out of W in a couple of weeks looking forward to it. A bit early, mate. My moment at the race, Max, moaning about the tires. Lewis's not quite making it. if sputs and maybes, as we all say, if his F1 spelled backwards, quicker pit stops might have just made the difference

for Lewis today, boys. Enjoy your flight home. Oh, that will be fun. Yeah. F1s up backwards. We're not going yet. There's not another slow stop today. What was that about?

I know, crazy. They're all fat up now. Don't ever see that. Put the B team in. We're done. Norm, who we've met. Good to see you, Norm. He's a real.

Norm, and also was... He's a real man. He's a real man. He's not Pinocchio. I'm a real man. Was there any doubt? Okay. I had doubt. Live from turn six.

Norm from Texas. Oh, hello, my late breaking friends. It is I. Norm from Texas. Coming to you from turn six of Coda. And I'm here to give my moment of the race. And my moment of the race was listening to Charles Leclair say, Plancy is killing me.

Never changed. Ferrari, never change. Anyway, keep breaking late, and this one goes out to bongers. Yeah, yo. It goes out to bugglers. What?

What? Bungers. Bungers. Not boners. Very different things. You know what? I just can't look. Plancy's killing me.

I was going to do that as well. You're in my mind. The killers were incredible, folks. I just can't move. Next up, a person who, He virtually made it onto our live show

because we spoke about gammon. The British version of... A big ham. Or big ham. It's a big ham. Stop asking me about the moment of the race when I'm under breaking. Oh, for staff and reference, very good, very good.

Hold for radio messicles. I like that. She's mixed it in well. Witty. She's a gammon gal. Witty, gammon. Wittie, a woman. We've got Brexit B for gamong gal.

Rishal Arthur is next. We got loads of trees. Hey guys, this is Arthur. My moment of the race was when Alpha Tauri decided to test out the softs on Danny Rick before putting them on Yuki's car for the fastest lap, basically doubling their points for the weekend. It was a very Red Bull family move, and it was pretty sweet to see. Awesome. Awesome.

Awesome. Yes, what up. The next one is from DeHammer 8. Which also says, Not sure. Non-moment of the race. I don't know what, anyway. The hammer from Michigan. My non-moment of the race is

fans chanting and booing Max during the podium. That's just not right. As an American, I hate to see that. To clarify. They were saying boo-werns. To clarify further, I don't think they were booing Max for Stappen.

believe they were booing the governor of Texas. Greg Abbott. He's a horrible man. Save LeClaire. Which of, yes. But also, save McClare is next. Save him from DSQ. Hello, everyone. I'm here to save Charlotte Clare from Ferrari Prison, which I think is

especially needed this weekend after the signature poll to P6. No, no, no. But other than that, my moment of the race was all of the different tire strategies. I thought it made it super fun to watch. Love you guys. Hope you had a great weekend at the race. Bye. You love you too. You are correct.

Thank you. We're at a fantastic time. Wrath is next. How's it going? This is Rath and very rainy and very cold Maine. My moment of the race is when Anthony Joshua just randomly came on the radio

and said to Pierre Gasly, good luck. I know he's an owner, but I feel like we don't usually hear people like that come on the radio. Thanks and have fun. I mean, how do you respond to that? Just like, oh, cheers, AJ. If I don't say thanks, will you hit me?

Yeah, okay. Another person that we met on Thursday, SoCal Jen. Yeah. You also did it under pressure for us. Lovely. Hey, y'all. It's Jen from SoCal. Still in Texas, not at the race.

It was amazing seeing the late breaking boys in person. What a fantastic show. My moment of the race is, the support that Ferrari provided for Leclair. Way to go, Ferrari. That was an amazing strategy. Ferrari's back. They're back in action, which is crappy.

Okay. Was that a hint of sarcasmuch? I like, yeah, yeah, yeah. So-Cal sarcastician. Sarcastician. Carson LGG is next. Hello, I don't really have a moment of the race, but... I just submit them.

well then we'll move on. Next step, delicious. Hello. My moment of the race for Circuit of the Harmonicas. I got a second. Yay. No.

Bloody L, Sam. Circuit of the harmonica. I love that. Did I just say, it's labeled Moment of the Race Cota, Vank,

Vangtois, as in 2023, in French. This chat. Said, you are on my level and I am so here for it.

Circuit of the harmonicas. That's brilliant. That's gold dust. Okay. Seb. Hello. My moment of the race for circuit of the harmonicas

is when the grid's favorite bad boy, Esty Besty, D and F's favorite good boy, Oskop is drami. Oh, he fits right. He's a bit us,

thing he? It's a little bit us. It's a little bit like breaking. And finally, another person we met, Joyce the Slay in Texas. That's a new name. Oh, thank you also for the chocolates and the beer.

Oh, thank you. Having a delightful stuff. Very kind. Giving us gifts, crazy people. I like gifts. Shish. Hey, boys, it's Joy. Moment of the race is probably Lewis being an absolute menace.

He was really fighting for P2 and he wouldn't let anyone else have it. I really respect that. I'd say moment of the weekend is probably meeting you lovely for the live show. There's a great show, boys. and hope you guys do it again. We will do it again.

You're lovely too. And clarify the lovely four as well, which is important. Yes. Yes. Yes. It's not waving from the sofa. Having eaten on the taco bell.

I would like mine soon. I'm so hungry. I can't wait for mine. It's a good thing. I think we're pretty much done. Oh, thank the Lord. I'm starving. I feel like the first half of this was all right.

Right. Would you mind getting a Saturday? I can't do that. Typically is my job. Thank you to everyone that came and saw us across our entire time here in Texas. We've had an incredible time. We won't have blessed by the next podcast.

I'm about to say that if you happen to see us walking around the town centre because we're having a day off on the Monday, or for the Mexican preview, which is still going to technically be around when we're recording. Come and say hello, we have absolutely adored meeting every single one of you. You're wonderful. Everyone that came to the live show again, you're incredible, we love the support. Thank you so much. We will do more of those.

Join the Giscog, if you haven't already, so many of you who came to the live show are in the discosos. week joke is amazing. We have Patreon and anyone that does support us on Patreon is incredible. You make trips like this happen. We're getting closer to be able to do it full time and it's a lot of it. It's because of you, lovely people. You get great benefits. Every podcast. You get to have discount on your merch. You get birthday shoutouts on the top tier. Bill and breaking two extra episodes a month as well. It's all in there. So please give it a look if you are. Are interesting in the podcast. Subscribe to us on the yubtubs and you can follow us on social media,

late breaking F1. In the meantime, I've been Tim and Sage. I've been Ben Harking. And I've been how to eat. And remember, keep breaking late. The Dallas Cowboys. Very good. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.