The Late Braking F1 Podcast - 2026 Belgian GP Qualifying Review

Episode Date: July 18, 2026

Spa delivered plenty of drama in qualifying, and Ben and Sam are here to break it all down! They discuss a remarkable pole position that saw the largest qualifying margin of the season so far, Verstappen and Red Bull's clever tow tactics, and Lindblad shining for Racing Bulls once again. Get involved in F1 Fantasy this season! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Late Braking league⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and see if you can beat us... LEAGUE CODE: C6Y6R4ZUY02 Want more Late Braking? Support the show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get:Ad-free listeningFull-length bonus episodesPower Rankings after every raceHistorical race reviews& more exclusive extras!Don't forget! You can also gift a Late Braking Patreon subscription—perfect for loved ones or your own wish list. Choose anything from 1 month up to a full year of top-notch F1 content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/latebrakingf1/gift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Late Braking:You can find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Come hang out with us and thousands of fellow F1 fans in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ server and get involved in lively everyday & race weekend chats!Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠F1 Fantasy League⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and see if you can beat us!Get in touch any time at [e-mail]  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 podcast. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. Hello and a very warm welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Sam Sage and me, Ben Hocking, reviewing Belgian GP qualifying today. A qualifying session at one out by Kimmy Antonelli of Mercedes. Not the first time this year. We've been able to say that about a qualifying session joined on the front row by the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. albeit some three tenths away.

I guess not a massive surprise, given it's the longest circuit on the calendar, Sam, but that is the biggest poll margin we've had in 2026 so far. Yeah, not the first time, not the second time, but the third, the fourth, the fifth, but it's actually the sixth pole position so far. We're only at round 10. My man has 60% of pole positions to his name so far.

Mercedes, again, on pole for the 10th time this season. Of course, Russell taking the other four. They are dominant, and I'm not surprised. that the Sades have stretched their legs here at Spa, the longest track. But it wasn't without a fight being put up. It's quite fascinating the way that Red Bull approached this. I'm glad they did approach it in quite a different way. Of course, he's like Hajar taking a whole host of penalties due to some parts

being put on the car going on to the weekend, which means it's got to start the back of the grid. But it didn't mean we saw this interesting toe dynamic, which we've not seen for a little while from a top team when they really tried to go at it for a pole edition. But Kimi Antingelli, the confidence that he, exudes in that Mercedes. The way he's flicking the steering into every corner and the car just sticks for him. He's already another level of them, like another plane of racing at this point.

It's so natural to him. He came over the radio, one of the sessions to Bono, and this was the tell. The balance felt much better at that point. It was like, you, you, 1.2 seconds was the difference between Q1 and Q2. He is astronomically good right now. He was two seconds clear in Q3 versus his Q1 time. like that is, and a lot of the other drivers had similar, but the track involvement was quite high today.

But from Antonelli's side in particular, it was really quite astonishing. It's not the first time we've seen as well when it comes to Antenelli. He looks very dominant through the practice sessions, particularly as we got into the final part of practice. He didn't really set a good lap when the conditions were at their best in P3,

but was still clear. And then we get to qualifying, at least the first part of course, qualifying and it looks like it's all come back together a little bit more, the field. And then Antonelli late on delivers this wonderful lap that, again, I know this is the longest circuit on the calendar, but being three temps clear of your opposition, being half a second clear of your teammate, that deserves a lot of respect. And I think, not that we've got a great idea on race pace around this track, because there's so much focus on one lap runs in practice.

We also had a red flag in FP2, which didn't help that. Based on what we've seen so far this year, there's every chance he will hold on to that and go on to another victory. But we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if that comes true. Yeah, very impressive. We saw Mercedes, I think, quite quick in the first sector all the way throughout. And we were quickly mentioning this before we hit record, the fascination between different sectors and who's strong where. Mercedes definitely seemed to have a grip on that first sector. For me, the poll has been one here based on Antonelli carrying that through to the second and third sectors

in a way that maybe he didn't do or Mercedes didn't do earlier in the session. Yeah, the most impressive thing about Antingale's time is we did see earlier on in the session that you can have much closer times together. We saw in Q2 how it was less like a tenth were separating kind of one, two and three, and it was only a couple of tents back from four and five. So really compact and close together. So the fact that he is stretched out a three-tenth gap over Max Verstappen, a four-tenth gap to Norris,

who of course makes the mistake in Q3, and a five-tenth gap to his teammate is mighty impressive. And you're writing how he's doing that. It looks like sector one is where they're most comfortable. The car feels so strong going through Orooge and down-le-com, but it looks like he's able to carry the speed so well that through the first few corners of sector two, it's only when you start to get to, you know,

no name X, whatever you want to call it, that's when Bostaping in the Red Bull starts to pick the pace back up and actually challenge the Mesaegis. Pull on seems like a really red ball-focused corner. Those mid-to-high-speed corners for Red Bull. There's just enough of top-speed,

high-speed corners where I think that Mesaegis are able to carry that momentum through. And the way that Antigel is riding the curbs, he seems to have such trust, such faith in the car, that he's able to make it stick over these really high curbs around Spa. and that's where I think he's also making up the time. We saw Khroum Shandotte doing a great side-by-side between rustling Antingelli in one of the outbreaks that we had.

Russell just isn't extending the track in the same way as Antingelli. He's just not running the car out as widen and getting back over as quickly. He's far more central to the racing line, whereas Antingelli is almost diagonalizing every single line bouncing from one to another. Do you know what's really telling about that is the reason for the DNF at Silverstone was Antone was Antonelli doing just that? It says a lot about his mentality that he's back here. the next competitive session, it's not even a consideration. Like, he's still, I think that's very encouraging from his side. I think he is one of those no fear races at this point.

And he's cut from a very different cloth to someone like George Russell. This was brought up in comms that, you know, Russell is maybe more of the Ilka button, which is far smoother, silkyer in his driving style, kind of more measured, very conservative in the way they can manage the car, manage the tires, manage the battery. And that's great in a racer. That is fantastic. but there are some drivers that can just wrestle the car. And Antigelli will throw the car from one side of the racetrack to get the most out of it.

And we see that in Vestappen, in Hamilton, in Sengar, in Schumacher, the way that they would kind of make the car their own and they would deliver it from one side to the other. We saw that today with Antigelli. Every time there is half a tent to find, he is in the right place to find it. And we saw the challenge that Red Bull put up there with that toe. Even on Mighty Max Verstappen with the toe of Isaac Hadja, and I think they gained about a 10 and a half with that toe in the third. final run. It shows you just how good this lap is from Antingelli.

It does. It does. We have to see how Antonelli versus his teammate goes. Russell, of course, qualifying fourth, but we'll start third in this Grand Prix, thanks to Lando Norris's 10, 10 grid place penalty. But yeah, Russell just not quite on it again versus his teammate. We heard him over team radio say that he seems to be losing on the straits. And whilst, again, we're recording this directly after the session, so we haven't got. all of the answers on this yet, but it might just be a repeated pattern with George Russell, where it's not the straits of themselves. It seems to be he's struggling on corner exits going on to these really important straits, where Antonelli is then able to carry a lot more

momentum. And then it seems like in a straight line, he's quicker, but that's kind of the reality is it's the corner beforehand. And I don't know whether that's happening again in the final sectors, because Russell and Ancinelli were very well matched through the first sector of their fastest laps at the end of Q3, but then just not able to carry that through for the rest of the lap. Yeah, I mean, that run through Blanchemont all the way down to the bus stop and the final corg is pivotal to getting the most out of this lap. It's pure flat out all the way down to the heavy braking zone of the penultimate and last corner where that pit entry is. And if you don't maximize the exit from, God, I remember what turn number it is because it's

so many callers around this track. But you know what I'm talking about right at the end of the lap there. You don't get that spring all the way through the likes of Blanchoman. and you will just lose handfuls of time all the way down to the heavy braking zone. Max Verstapp and P2, as mentioned, using a bit of slipstream to his benefit on both of his runs in Q3. Perhaps a little bit more effectively I thought on the second go round because they were noticeably quite a lot closer in that final sector had Jaron Vastappen than they were the first time around. I thought they might get it wrong. I thought it might have been too close and actually Vastappen might have had to bail out of it slightly too soon. If Hager was maybe an extra 50 meters up the racetrack,

he could have closed right up to just before the braking zone and then got out the way. It looked like there was a chance that Fassappan might have had to have just blipped off the throttle. And that might have cost him a tenth or two. But with the gap that Kimmy does have over Max, I don't think that even if that was a mistake with the way that Hager and Max ran it, it felt very positive anyway, that it would have made up the difference. So it looks like it's just the car just isn't there,

even with Max Verstappen having everything go his way. Yeah, I'm afraid so. And Vastappen showed up very well in this session And he's obviously clear of everyone not named Kimi Antonelli So he's done quite well But yeah, the final sector, even with them quite effectively using Slipstream As soon as he crossed the line And he went just over a temp faster than Lando Norris

And it was quite close up until that point I was like, okay, here we go, what can I? And then Antonelli crosses the line not long after that And I just went Yeah, never mind Okay That's ridiculous. I'm troubling that one.

Yeah, the gap was huge. I actually thought Max had it when he crossed the line. Yeah, I thought it was going to be close. Yeah. And actually, it's turned out that I think he's kind of lucky that Landon Norris is unable to improve because the new battery in Landon Norris' car

is seemingly absolutely throwing him down the race track. He was so quick up until he goes off, of course, in his final run of Q3. Yeah, and I think we saw, again, track evolution quite prevalent throughout all three qualifying sessions. but what often happens is that track evolution gets less and less as we go through. And by the time we get to the third part of qualifying, it doesn't matter all that much.

I wonder if the red flag break we actually had in Q3 help that track evolution go on even more because there was quite a bit of time separating the first and the second runs because we saw Antonelli and Vestapp and improved quite considerably second time around. And I won the light queue with Lando Norris, who again qualified third but will start. are 10 places worse off than that. I wonder if he's able to hook that lap together whether he's got, I don't think he's touching Antonelli, but I think he's getting second place. I don't know. I don't think it's impossible that Landon Norris could have got pole. The update that the car has been brought with and the fact that he's having to take that penalty, of course, due to part of the

power unit being changed. I think it's given that car a little bit of extra oomph. And he's locked in this weekend. It looks like Norris was really quick for the first part of, you know, Q1, Q2, felt really on it. And you can see the gap between himself and Piastri. I mean, whilst I do think that a new power unit is helping the overall pace. I think there's a little bit of Norris magic in there as well that's helping a bit. Temps in the end. Yeah, I mean, you know, respectable, respectful, far better than the gap between Kimmy Antingelli and George Russell, of course. But I wouldn't be surprised if a good tent of that that is maybe the new battery that Norris has on board. I give Landa Norris a lot of credit for the way in which he was handling that second sector,

because he was, the gap actually came down a little bit as we got towards the end of qualifying. But I think practice three earlier today. He was about three, ten. clear of everyone in that middle sector. And I just, I'm constantly, I'm in love with the way that spa qualifying and the different sectors work out. It's a bit of a dream for someone who enjoys data because we turn up at some circuits. The differences between the three sectors will be quite minimal. We get to spa and you get this driver is three temps faster in sector one.

This driver's three temps faster in sector two. Just to give a couple of things that illustrate that. the fastest driver overall today in sector one was Arvid Limbludd. Of course. No one went faster than him. And in Q1 specifically, Lando Norris had the fastest time in Q1. Alex Albon, who of course was knocked out in the Williams in Q1, was faster in the first sector than Norris. But it's the middle sector that McLaren have clearly worked hard to get that right and think that's the way to go about it.

a bit of an opposite strategy maybe to Mercedes. And Lando Norris is absolutely blisteringly quick through there. Not quite enough to get on the front row, even if it would have been provisional with the penalty, but still a very good effort. And more than what we've seen from McLaren recently, I think. Yeah, you have to learn where to cut your losses around SPAR, I think. You have to maximise a key area.

Know your strengths and maximise them. The problem is the setup for a qualifying car around here and a race car around here can be massively different and it can be quite impactful on the result that you can get. We know that Landon Norris is, of course, taking a 10-place-grub penalty. He will start P-13, P-12, depending on how they're not the place is back. Yeah, I'm not sure what comes first if it's the hard job penalty or the Norris penalty. But yeah, it'll be outside of top 10.

He's in that region. Anyway, with the way they've set the car up, being blisteringly quick in that middle sector, there's a risk that once he gets back to that top eight, which, you know, it's quite likely that he will. Overtaking might become quite difficult because they might have sacrificed a lot of straight-line speed to make sure they can really maximise the mid-speed core. and through sector two. So it'd be fascinating to see how fun Norris can progress, where seemingly on one lap pace, he's blisteringly quick,

but can that transfer into race pace? I wonder if they have an idea, McLaren, that Lando Norris, if he's to make positions up inside the top eight, it won't be on track and it will be via an undercutter and maybe even overcut. I think that's quite rare around Sparse. Maybe the undercut is more likely. But yeah, he seems to be so quick.

middle sector that maybe they're hoping that if he can get some clean air and properly use that pace, then maybe they can make something work on the strategy. Because yeah, again, based on the straight line speed in that first sector, it doesn't seem to be a match for Red Bull or, well, it doesn't seem to be a match for Mercedes. It looks fairly similar to Red Bull, in which case, maybe that's not where the overtakes are going to happen for him. But we have to wait and see. Before we move on, I just, we're obviously at risk of losing spa. We're going to start alternating soon. When it's a dry racetrack and we're not getting it rained off,

it's just such a wonderful place to see cars go racing. And the fact that we're at a lap time of nearly 1, you know, 145, pushing 150 in practice and pre-race conditions, I just miss these longer, more intricate, tricky race tracks where it's so dynamic. And Formula 1 is at a risk of losing this. So just really want to make sure that we enjoy this weekend because it is so, such a brilliant experience. And honestly, like, 2021 and the disaster that was that three-minute race,

I'm happy to call that a weird one-off free concurrence. It could have happened in so many, so many countries. It being delayed last year, that's not a fault of spa. And I think generally, like, the weather we do often get and seemingly won't get this weekend at Spa. I don't think that's a failing. I think that's a good thing about this track rather than a failing. How F1 is able to cope with that with the wet,

the tires they bring or the regulations as they are at the moment. Like, that, that's not a spa thing. That's, that's not a circuit-specific thing. I'm with you, yeah, it will be, it'll be weird to see this one only alternating in the future. Let's take a quick break. On the other side, let's get into Ferrari, fifth and sixth. Ah, back again, my old friends. Ah, we have returned.

Sam, as you know, I have a. big birthday coming up very soon. The good news is I'm dealing with it really, really well and not having an existential crisis in any way, shape or form. I'm completely fine with the realization that there are now more drivers on the F1 grid younger than me than older than me. Yeah, I don't believe you. That is fair, but I have at least found something that helps, and that's Blueprint's longevity mix. Blueprint came from a simple idea. If you're going to build a daily longevity routine, it should be based on research, careful formulation and ingredients chosen for a reason. What I really like is how simple it is. It's just one scoop mixed into water. And get this, it's designed to support things

like energy, cognitive performance, mood, focus, sleep and cellular resilience. Cellular resilience? Surely not. It's true, I promise you. But don't just take my word for it. Blueprint, third party test its supplements for purity and contaminants. And they publish those results so you can see exactly what's in them. Sitesbats, precision dose, no BS. For a limited time only, new customers get 20% off and free shipping at blueprint.com by using code late at checkout. That's code late at blueprint.com for 20% off. After you purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them our show, sent you. Welcome back, everyone. Ferrari, qualifying 5th and 6th, that will become 4th and 5th on tomorrow's grid.

Charlotte Claire ahead of Lewis Hamilton, albeit by 2,000th of a second, that might tell you where this Ferrari is, or more importantly, where it isn't this weekend. If we're going team by team, we've already discussed two Mercedes, we've already discussed the McLaren, we've already discussed a Red Bull. Ferrari could claim a fourth best here. Yeah, I did say at the start of this weekend, think it was going to be tough for Ferrari rounds here. It is a power track. And of course, we know that both Mercedes and Red Bull, the P-U is better than what Ferrari are bringing. And we

know that the battery provided by Mercedes, which of course sits in the McLaren as well, is better than what the Ferrari is able to bring. Recharge is also difficult for them. So even with the Azure upgrade that Ferrari brought, even with the diffuser being altered on the Ferrari, adding more horsepower, it's not going to be enough, I think, to overhaul the difference, especially when you're trying to also be quick in that middle sector, which is again, they've got to balance the arrow, the way the wings are set up, the chassis. It's tricky to make sure you get that right.

That gap of only 2,000th of a second between two world-class drivers tells you exactly what you need to go. That Ferrari is no better to go than a fifth and sixth place. And that might be the case at some Grand Prix. I don't think Ferrari have got a championship winning car right now, even though that they are the closest when it comes to points in terms of the constructor's title. And Lewis Hamilton, of course, only about what,

I'm estimated 12 to 15 points back from Russell, I can't remember the tally off the top of my head. Is it that close? I think that's more again, due to some reliability and the more consistency of the Ferrari. But the outright pace, when it comes to a trap like this, it's just not quite there.

But interesting that Norris, especially, was able to completely overhaul the Ferrari today. Yeah, I thought in terms of the straight line speed, it was better than I thought it was going to be for Ferrari, but where it wasn't better than I thought it was going to be and quite considerably worse, was in those medium to high-speed corners. And I wonder whether, again,

they've had to set up their car in a certain way to ensure they're not losing in the first sector to the point where they have cost themselves a bit of downforce to be able to deal with those medium and high-speed corners in the middle sector. They seemed, it's been a weird weekend for them so far. They've been very quiet versus some of the other teams.

Of course, we know Lewis Hamilton had a crash at the end of third practice, which congratulations, by the way, to the Ferrari team, for being able to put that back together in time. The rear wheel, sorry, was absolutely missing from that car and the way you rebuilt that suspension. Also, what, see three cars got off at that corner now this weekend? Yeah, yeah, Gazley basically did the same thing yesterday,

but of course, Alpine, a bit more time to fix things ahead of today. Ferrari had about two hours to work with, and they were able to not only get it out in time for qualifying, but like at the beginning of qualifying. And proving it's just as good as the other team's car, because they're back close together. Yeah, so credit to Ferrari for that. Yeah, the pace

The pace just seemed to be okay in all sectors, but they didn't really shine in any sector either. It kind of did come together a little bit for the first part of Q3, but I think where others could improve, particularly Antonelli and Vastappen. LeCleur was right there, I thought,

after the first part of the first runs in Q3, but then... Distinct improve on that second rug at all. There wasn't that extra gear. No, you're always going to do what Red Bull did and actually just say, right, after the first run, LeCleur, you're in front, Hamilton, we're getting a sacrifice you on this run to try and get a car on the front row or a poll. You will give Charlotte Clare a toe. You'll go out first. The Clare will be behind you. If you improve Lewis, fair enough, but you're there to give the Clare a toe. And I do wonder if they will really have lost out anything at that point. I feel like Hamilton will still be in fifth place. We still want to move forward due to the Norris penalty. And actually there's a chance that maybe the clerk can jumps up a couple of places. Yeah, and Lecler, obviously, less than a tenth away from Lando Norris's time. So if he was to get that extra 10th and he qualified third, I think would be sat here saying pretty reasonable for Ferrari, a bit annoying that they can't be fighting for pole again, but equally not too bad. Yeah.

But instead, yeah, fifth and sixth year, fourth and fifth starting tomorrow. Going to the sort of back end of the top 10, we kind of discussed Piastri, maybe not quite. feeling it the same way as Lando Norris. I wasn't surprised by this result. It always looked like Norris had the upper hand. Yeah, like we mentioned, it's twofold for the advantage of Norris, where he looks like he's more switched on around here

than Piaastri this season. But equally, with the replaced power unit, that bit that he's got coming in. I do think that's probably giving him just a little bit of extra roof down the high-street straight, high-speed straits, Piastri just lacking that extra big of confidence. To the point actually where I'm surprised

that Limbaugh is only one tenth away from Piastri come the end of this session. I know that Limblog is running the upgrades for the racing ball and Lansing isn't, and that's why you'll see such a gap between them. But the fact that Limbaugh is five-tenths clear of the Audi of Gabby Bortoletto, but only a tenths away from Piastri, which is a fully functioning McLaren, right? There's nothing wrong with that McLaren. I am surprised that the gap is so close. Yeah, I mean, Limblog had a very good qualifying session from start to finish,

really. He was sixth in the first part of qualifying, improved by half a second for the part of qualifying, improved by another half a second in the final part of qualifying. And here he is three quarters of a second behind Antonelli's poll time. And crucially, only a couple attempts away from that sort of group of cars, including Norris, Russell, LeCler, Hamilton. He's not far off at all. And as you say, he is running the upgraded racing balls this weekend. And Lawson isn't yet, which by the way, the way they decided this if you didn't catch it was they did a shootout in Silverstone qualifying. They basically said whoever qualifies highest for the British GP will be given the upgrade first, which we need more of that. That's great. I love that. They're equal cars.

They could both go out at it. Limblud wins it out on the day and then Lawson picks it up in Hungary. So, you know, it's not like you lose too much. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, a really good session I thought from up from Limblood to get in the mix. And yeah, he's going to be firmly inside the top 10 to start tomorrow. I have a hunch that he might win Rookie of the Year. Oh. I know it's close between him and Alonso, but I reckon he might just do it. What odds would you give me that he doesn't win it?

A thousand to one. I'll take it. Good. What about Bortolato, also making it through to Q3? bit odd to see such a gap between him and Holkenberg. Again, felt fairly consistent. I've got a note here for my Q2 notes that I've written down here. I've got Gabby six-tenths faster than Hulk,

but then I've got afterwards hydraulic leak to blame. I don't know if maybe the way that he had to retire the car on the Inglapp afterwards, maybe just slightly plagued the time because they were neck and neck Q1. Q1 was about two, nearly three-tenths. Which is bearable, right? Yeah, yeah, better than six. Yeah, a couple of tenths is fine, but six is five, But six is astronomically big.

There's only one other teammate that hang a bigger gap, I believe, and that was the harsh guys. So I do wonder if this is slightly reliability-focused. But nonetheless, Gabby's done really well to get himself into Q3. Hulk's only done it once so far this season. I think Gabby's now done it twice. So he's really starting to turn it around. And Audi, on a track where I thought they might struggle,

especially in the first and third sector, have done well to put a car together that seems competitive. Yeah, it looked pretty good. Big gap between himself and Limbluder in the final part of qualifying, but other than that, pretty faultless day from Bortoletto. And he has had the advantage over Holkenberg, I think, throughout this weekend, not to the tune of six-tenths,

which could point to your theory being correct. But he's certainly been a couple of attempts faster than Holkenberg consistently throughout, and that carried through into the first part of qualifying. Yeah, I think he'll be pretty happy with that. And again, he will, he'll gain at least one spot starting tomorrow. So, yeah, a chance for him to build on Audi's points tally, which still isn't what it should be,

but at least they're putting themselves in positions to score again. Yeah, I think they're basically got the plans for building at the moment. Yeah, yeah. You start putting some foundations down. We'll see if that comes true. Very quick in the middle sector as well, Audi, which maybe shouldn't be a surprise based on that chassis. It's wherever car should thrive.

The engine we know is down on power. Yeah. but clearly didn't lose enough in the first and final parts of the lap to make sure they didn't get through to Q3. Alpine, 12th and 13th. I think it was just quicker than everyone behind them, not as quick as Audi or racing bulls. They kind of, in this middle ground.

Yeah, Alping have fallen back into this awkward middle ground where they were leading that midfield quite comfortably. For the first five or six Grand Prix this season, upgrades to the racing balls in particular, but also to Audi have really started to see them knocked back from being the regular point scores. We saw that for the first, I think it was five Grand Prix. Gassely wasn't outside of the points, right? Picked up that podium in Mojico.

He pretty much lived in seventh place. Right. It was basically, you know, one, two, three, four, five, six, Gassley, eight, nine, ten. And now we rarely see them qualifying inside the top ten as to the lack of upgrades that they're receiving or the impact that they're having anyway. So this isn't a surprise. They're both right next to each other as well. Colopinto does well again to get right behind Pierre Gasly.

There's been anything in it, right? I can't really fault them as drivers. The car could need some proper upgrades brought to it. Yeah, I think 12th and 13th is very reflective of where this Alpine is at the moment, not able to contend with racing balls and Audi, but equally capable of beating everyone else behind them quite comfortably. It seemed to be very quick in the final sector, did Alpine. So I wonder if their strategy was to hold on to their battery a little bit more than the other teams,

going into the likes of Blanchemont. We saw Gazley. Purple, right? Yeah, I think he might have held. the purple sector in the final part of qualifying, sorry, in the final part of the lap. And I think Colopinto was like second fastest in the third sector earlier on today. So yeah, that seems to be where they thrive, but not enough for the rest of the lap to really challenge Q3. Well, you've already mentioned the biggest gap that we saw between teammates today,

to the tune of seven tenths of a second between Esteban Ockon and Olli Behrman. the good news for Esteban Ocon is that it only equates to two positions on track because Behrman will start 16th, O'Conn will start 18th. But that's looking at it for a much happier lens than what it actually is, I think. I mean, also, the only thing I can say, to be fair, for Ocon is Bearman only just scraped through anyway in Q1, right? Like the gap was coming down and down. It's not like, it's not like Bearman was sat there in P10 and was having a great old time.

He was fighting for his life to get through the elimination. anyway. So even if Ocon did improve by those seven-tenths, he's probably still out in Q1 as it is. So I'm not going to come down him too hard against other competition, but you've got to be closer to your teammate regardless. This is a track that he knows. He's driven him multiple times. He's very experienced that. You know, you go back to the point where I remember him racing against Sergio Perez, in the fourth India slash racing point where they nearly hit each other going down towards Orooge, right? Like he's been here a long time now as O'Con, this very experienced. hearings. Seven-tenths of a guy that's only in what his third season of Formula One is

third or second? Well, it depends what you count. Yeah, yeah. Second and a half season. Yeah, yeah. That's why I was getting confused there. I saw he was here a couple of years ago and he was. Yeah, you know, Ockong has really got the legs on it when it comes to race is done, but there, man, it's just obliterating when it comes to absolute pace. And we've seen O'Con in the points and in Q3 here plenty of times before, but yeah, the mystery of this season. and what isn't going right for Ocon continues. Most of that lap time he lost in the middle sector, just not hooked up anywhere near the same way that Berman was.

And yeah, despite the fact that it won't cost him too much in terms of grid position, that Hasse is still, you know, fighting with Williams, really, for 9th and 8th best. It's rubbish. I mean, speaking of Williams, it might have looked a little bit better here than it has done at the last couple of Grand Prix,

but still not great. What I found most notable was that Sines and Albon were very close this time around. Very close. About a tenth between them, right? And I think Album, unlucky to be on the other side of the elimination. This is what I meant with Ockham and Bearman that realistically they came up being a tenthing apart. And one of them is probably getting eliminated. But this is exactly what happened with Williams.

Albon will be really frustrated. I think just from a confidence point of view, a mentality point of view, the fact that Sikes is just beating him again, it starts to roll all into one big ball of frustration. When you're in a car that isn't working, you're not realizing the dreams that you thought you might have going to a new era. Teammate joins, is only in his second season in the team with you,

beating you regularly now. You know, even just that 10th difference with a made album feel much better about his weekend if the roles were switched, even if album starts 15th, then it's Sykes 17th. It's just a little notch against your teammate, but it's again,

something that Sykes has gone, I've got that over you. And Albu just can't seem to get the better of Carlos Seitz especially in qualifying. Yeah, and the frustration is going to mostly be, I think, with Alex Albin. Early on in this weekend, it was looking far better on his side of the garage versus Carlos signs. James Vowles over Sky Sports sort of chats with him.

James Vals was saying, we haven't got it quite right on Carlos's car yet. And that's why there's such a gap between him and Alex. And we get to qualifying, and that gap is completely gone. And they are very well matched. and it's Carlos Sines that's on the better side of that duel. But much closer, which is good news for Alex Albon. But, yeah, unfortunate that he's the one that's knocked out in Q1. But look, if you fix the car and you end up fighting for Q3

and the drivers are that close again, you've got a perfect line-up. That's exactly what you're all with your drivers, right? Yeah, yeah. Astor Martin, can we quickly just mention them before we finish? The last race in theory before they get this upgrade that they are going to... Which also might not actually all come, by the way. Because how rumours it might not arrive. Yeah, we'll see on that.

21st and 22nd. No surprise there. Alonso 4.1 seconds away from the fastest time. Lance Stroll 4.3. I have to admit, throughout practice, I was thinking that number might start with a 5. They've actually improved on what I thought they would do. I mean, you're right.

I fully agree with you that I actually thought they might have to basically be told. You might need to just sit this out for a bit. because you're really not very good. The good news for them is because it's such a long lap, the 107% rule, which we haven't needed to use in qualifying for many years now, that would be like seven seconds off the pace of the poll time. So I think they were always safe of that.

I mean, five is pretty embarrassing. So to be slightly closer to four, well, I mean, well done. Kagalak comfortably better than the pair of them. I saw, I think this was relating to practice time rather than qualifying time because we've just had. that session, but it might well still be true. They might be closer to the F2 poll time than the F1 poll time. If that is the case, that's a very, very sad sign for Askin Martin.

If it's not true, it's very close to being true. But it was definitely true of practice times, I think. Yeah. Yeah, not great. And what on Alonzo? Can't even make on it anymore. Can't even like go on about it. It's just sad.

Alonzo, unfortunately, a devastating grid penalty for him. We'll see him go from 21st. 22nd. That's a tough, tough blow for him. Driver of the session to C-S off Sam. I'm going to go with the guy that got pole by over three-tenths of a second. You know what? Fair, and I agree with you, I'll do something just to be very, because, you know,

it's nice as you very up. I'm going to go limb-blood. I think to be only a tenth away from that fight with McLarence and Ferrari's is fantastic. But Anting Annie really is done a fantastic job there. Yeah, they were the two in my mind, no doubt about that. Any prediction as to what we're going to get tomorrow? It's typically a track that's quite tough on tires. Looks like it's going to be a dry one.

That thinks we might see a collision in turn one. Wouldn't be the first time? No, it's such an awkward turn. Cars like to either chuck it up, the inside, go around the outside. We've seen multiple pile-ups here. Most famously, I think where Grosjeon picked up his bang because he went straight over the top of Lewis Hamilton at one point.

You know, we do see a lot of accidents at this turn one. it's a little part of there thinks there could be a for Staff and Tengeli coming together. Well, if there is a bit of variety and sort of how quick they are off the line as we are often seeing this year, that could be very interesting because it's a really short run.

It could be five wide coming to the breaking zone. We should be silly, but, you know, anyone I think from Hamilton up could end up first going into LACOM. Well, it's not just the run to term one. It's everything after that really as you go all the way down, like you say, to Lecom, up Oroo Rouge, up Radion.

The momentum is so important. So almost the exit of T1 rather than where you are in the entry is more important, I think. So it would be fascinating to see how that front five or six really manage that. Yeah, we'll have to see on that. We'll, of course, be back to review that race this time tomorrow. But until then, Sam, if you wouldn't mind getting us out of here. Folks, jump in the Discord if you're thinking, I want to be involved more. It's how you get your moment of the race involved, which will get played out on the

review tomorrow and that's how you submit it in the discals so we chat a whole way through the grand prix so if you want come into the race chat have a laugh with a load of people enjoying f1 do get involved also follow us on social media and like breaking f1 where you can kind of see question of the week you can get involved with some of the sitting as that goes on in the show as well and patrons available because we do power rankings after every race weekend so that way you can come and hear what we rank every single drive we break their grand prix down individually and also you get to say there's a form that you can fill out that allows you to do your ratings we get an average Patreon rating as well, which is lovely to hear from the community.

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